Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder
by Sannikex
Summary: When Draco Malfoy is mysteriously allowed to stay at the Burrow with only Ginny there she has to find out why. She dives deeper into the mystery he is than she wished for and now she has to face the consequences.Small vignettes.Part in The Weasley Love St
1. Chapter 1

The Weasley Love Stories

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

A/N: Another part of the "Weasley Love Stories", the series about how the Weasley children found love. As the other parts, Broom(b)ride (R/Hr), Tojours (B/F) and Rainbow (H/L) it contains small vignettes from the leading couple's lives. This story is about Ginny and the timeline for the whole series is that the War lasted from 1997-2000.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all.

November 1997

No one ever told her anything. You'd think that having your whole family in the Order would make it clear that the last one could be initiated a bit earlier but no. She was still sixteen and had to wait. For Merlin's sake the war was already raging, who'd have time to check if she was of age or not?

Her family had left for the headquarters and left her at the Burrow, as it was safer here. When she was fourteen she'd come to the Order quarters but now, at sixteen, she couldn't? No, she had to stay behind and worry. Angrily she swept into the kitchen and stopped dead. Someone was already there. She whipped out her wand but the tall figure didn't even flinch. The person was dressed in a black cloak with a deep hood hiding the face of the intruder.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Slowly the person held out his arms and reached for the hood. Ginny moved closer aiming for the stranger's chest. The hood fell back and revealed pale blonde hair and sharp features.

"Weasley, where are your parents?"

"Malfoy!" No one had seen him since his flight from the school in June five months ago. She caught up with her thoughts and remembered who was standing in her kitchen. "Back away in five seconds or I'll hex you!"

"Weasley, I need to see your pare…" His voice died as he fell to the floor. Ginny found herself aiming at nothing but air and blinked a couple of times. Still with her wand at the ready she lowered herself to the floor and pulled at his cloak. Heavily he turned and lay on his back, his face even paler than usual and his eyes closed.

"Malfoy? Malfoy?" She poked him in the chest to wake him but quickly withdrew it and stared at her smudged hand. His black clothes had disguised the blood and now it trickled down her wrist. Fascinated she stared at the rivulet smearing her ivory pale skin. So he bled red like humans…When the blood reached her rolled-up sleeve she woke up.

What the heck was she supposed to do with him? He couldn't just lie there. Should she call someone? No, the floo and owls were not safe any longer. The floo connection was just open some minutes a day so Mum could check on her and she couldn't Apparate.

Ginny wasn't raised to just watch when someone was in pain so she levitated the limp form of Malfoy to the living room couch. She fetched some water and her mother's first aid kit and got to work. With a tug she ripped his robes and felt a grim satisfaction to ruin the expensive fabric. He could buy new robes.

He was wearing a white T-shirt underneath and a gasp escaped her. The whole front was drenched in blood. She did dream of becoming a Healer but nevertheless her hands shook when she carefully removed the garment. Her stomach heaved when his chest was exposed. A gash went diagonally from his collarbone to his waist. How in the name of Merlin was she supposed to handle this? It wasn't a clean cut so none of her healing spells would work. With trembling hands she prodded the skin around the wound. A wheezing sound escaped the Malfoy and his eyes flew open. He seemed to have difficulties with focusing his gaze so she bent over him.

"I…I'll try to heal your wound but I…" Maybe she shouldn't tell him how inexperienced she was? "I'll do my best." She thought she saw a sardonic lift at the corner of his mouth before he passed out again.

- - -

It was late when he finally woke up. With a sigh of relief she leaned back in the chair she'd put opposite the couch to be able to watch over him. He looked around and she saw the bewilderment in his eyes for a moment before the ice armour settled in the mercury stare. She conjured a glass of water and inched closer. Carefully she put a hand behind his neck and held his head as she held the glass to his lips. Greedily he drank and when he'd had enough she sat down again.

"Weasley, your parents? He croaked and she could see from the sweat on his brow what it cost him to manage even such a small thing.

"What do you want with them?" She did not trust that creep at all. He gestured weakly and she saw fury in his eyes. She didn't know if it was because of her refusal to tell him where her parents were or because he wasn't strong enough to speak again. She saw him struggling against unconsciousness but it was merciless and his eyes rolled back in his head.

She rose and bent over him, she checked his pulse and lifted his eyelids. It seemed like his body was so exhausted that it forced him to rest. She dipped a cloth in the cold water she'd put on the table and wiped the cold sweat off his face. It was a beautiful face with sharp angles and pointy chin. His high cheekbones had caused deep envy among the girls at Hogwarts, Ginny recalled. His brows and lashes were as dark as his hair was light and the lips were wasted on a face that only had them to sneer. His nose was straight and accented a profile that would make a sculptor cry.

Her hand froze. Was she wiping his face almost…lovingly? With a huff she tossed the cloth away. Well, he was good-looking; any girl could loose herself in daydreams over that pretty face. That, she knew, was an asset he milked to the last drop with the girls. Bastard.

Wasn't Mum going to call soon?

- - -

"Ginny!" She looked up from her book and realized that it must be her mother at the Floo.

"Coming!" With a quick glance at the unconscious boy she hurried out of the room.

"Hello, dear. Is everything alright? Of course it is, we have done the Fidelius charm…Have you been eating? Your father says you'll do fine on your own but I…Of course I trust you, Ginevra. It's just…" Her mother's rattle was so normal she almost forgot that a deadly wounded Draco Malfoy lay in the next room.

"Mum! I know! Listen to me now, and listen closely. She bent close to the hearth and whispered as if they could be overheard,

"Malfoy showed up here last night, he's wounded, really, really bad and he wants to talk to you and Dad. I did my best but that wound is so nasty and I really don't know what to do!" The bright colour in Molly's cheeks died.

"Is Lucius Malfoy there with you?"

"No, no, Draco Malfoy. He said he wanted to talk to you. I didn't tell him where you were. Should I? He seems kind of desperate." The shock let go of Malloy and she turned her usual brisk ordering voice on.

"We're coming. See to that he stays unconscious, Ginny, he could be dangerous!" Ginny didn't have time to answer that Malfoy was too weak to talk and even less attack her.

Her parents' faces were solemn when they came out of the living room. The three Order members and Ginny turned their heads in unison. Arthur nodded and Remus, Tonks and Kingsley excused themselves. Her father sat down opposite her and Molly started to bustle around to make tea.

"Ginny, now as we've talked to young Malfoy and…" Ginny kept her eyes expectantly fastened on him. This time they were not going to escape without a complete explanation; they couldn't keep her out of this. She had saved Malfoy's life after all. "We believe that it is best that he stays here under the Fidelius Charm. He is to be kept hidden. Speak to no one about his presence." Ginny waited for the continuation but her father was staring at the mantle of the kitchen hearth, just over her shoulder.

"Why? Harry says he's a Death Eater."

"Tea, dear?"

"No thanks, Mum. Dad? Why?"

"I'd like some, Molly, thanks." Ginny recognized this method. As long as she mentioned the subject she wanted to talk about her father would talk about other things until she gave up.

"Really! It's just months 'til I'm seventeen and I found Malfoy, I saved his damned life! I have the right to know what is going on here!"

"There's a time for everything, Ginevra."

- - -

She couldn't believe this, she really couldn't. Instead of knowing anything she was babysitting someone who until today had been on the list of Enemies.

"Merlin, Malfoy, you've always been nothing but problems!" There was no reply as the devil with the face of an angel slept on.

A/N2: Interesting? Worth the time? Comments in general? Tell me and review!


	2. Chapter 2

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

A/N: Hello! I was glad to hear that this little story caught your liking and since I have hols, and because I've gotten myself a foot fracture, real smooth of me rolls eyes I have some time. Do check out the other parts in this series, The Weasley Love Stories and enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own and I can't steal because I can't run with crutches.

It was weird to have him in the house. She was used to it being crowded and she had gotten used to being alone there too but with him there it was different. Not that he did a lot. He slept and woke now and then to eat. Still, it made her restless to have him there, she couldn't concentrate and she made up all sorts of ridiculous reasons to be in the living room just so she could hear that he breathed. She hated him for it…But he was hurt and he was vulnerable and it was her job to see that he got fully recovered.

She was knitting on one of her mother's half-finished projects; she thought it was going to be an egg cozy, in snot yellow. It had to be a Christmas gift for either aunt Aurelia or Fleur, Molly's least favorite people.

"That is the ugliest thing I've ever seen." His voice was weak but the snide tone in it was the same.

"Malfoy! How are you feeling? I've tried to heal your wound but it just won't heal and scar."

"Of course it won't. What would be the torture if it healed with just a quick spell?" His voice was so dry she almost thought it would catch fire in the warm room.

"What do you mean?" He tried to roll his eyes without any success.

"I mean that the person who cast the spell would want me to suffer for as long as possible, Weasel." She considered turning her back on him for the insult but her curiousness won over her pride.

"Who cast it?"

"You don't know? Didn't your parents run straight to the Order and tell everyone, gloat that they have Malfoy?" He sneered.

"No, they didn't say anything."

"I thought that was what you did in families." He had hit a very sore point.

"Well, I…" She slumped her shoulders. "I don't know why they won't tell me anything."

"Maybe you're not trustworthy enough," he sneered.

"If you weren't hurt, Malferret, I'd...I'd hex you to oblivion!"

"I'm sure you would." Frustrated she stomped out of the room.

--------

She stayed out of the room as much as possible. But she had to help him with the food. He was strong enough to argue with her but not eat by himself. He was driving her mad.

"...And I'm stuck babysitting _you_!" She finished her rant and fastened his bandages a bit carelessly.

"And you wonder why they won't initiate you early."

"I guess you know everything about early initiations." She straightened and swept her hair away from her face.

"You can't follow orders. You have to know why all the time; you wouldn't make a trustworthy partner to anyone. You have to be able to take orders as well as give them, Weaselette."

"I think you just explained to me why you were initiated yourself." He just closed his eyes like he couldn't bear even looking at her for being so stupid.

As usual she left the room with a heated temper to cool and nowhere to go. She could only move around under very limited circumstances. Just the house and the garden were safe. She was a prisoner in her own home.

-------

"Ginny! It's Mum!" Molly never flooed at the same time, it would be too predictable and someone else could floo in the few minutes the connection was open. Ginny was in her room and had to run down the three stairs when her mother called this late evening. She had already changed into her pajamas and had started to braid her hair for sleep.

"Hello, dear. I'm sorry it's late but everyone here looks to that I don't call the same time. Especially Harry is worried about you." Molly sounded content and let the sentence hang in the air. When Ginny didn't answer she continued. "He doesn't like that you have young Malfoy there. It bothers Ron and Hermione too. I don't know why they're so anxious about him. I think it's outrageous. I had to be quite sharp with the three of them today because of the way they talked about the poor boy." Poor boy? Mum was no fan of the Malfoy family, what on earth was going on here? Molly's eyes filled with tears suddenly.

"Be nice to him, Ginny." Then she disappeared. What the heck was going on here? Mum even forgot to ask if she'd eaten or how Malfoy was doing. And why was the Trio worried now? Malfoy had been here for almost two weeks now.

She'd already checked on him before she'd gone up to her room but she decided to check again. He was awake.

"Came to be nice to me?" He mocked when she stepped in. He was lying on his back staring at the ceiling not even bothering to glance at her.

"No." She sat down and stared at him. What did she know about Draco Malfoy anyway? They'd always been on the total opposite of each other. She was in Gryffindor, he in Slytherin. She'd loved Harry to pieces; he had hated him with all his might. She'd been in the DA, he'd been in the Inquisitorial Squad. She was going to join the Order, he would or had already joined the Death Eaters. She was born to hate him; he was born to hate her. But did she know anything about _him_?

"Who cast that spell?" He didn't look away from the ceiling.

"It's none of your business."

"No, it's not." How did it feel, she wondered, to be at the mercy of the people he had hated his whole life? What had made him change his mind? Suddenly she became fiercely curious of his life.

"Weasley, why are you staring at me?"

"Do you have a favorite Quidditch team?" He turned his eyes to her, stared straight into hers so intently she felt like he was boring straight through her skull.

"Stop taking pity in 'the poor boy', Weaselette." Angry with herself she rose and went out. What had she been thinking? That he'd be glad to weep out all his grief and tell her how misunderstood he was, being grateful for her support? Sweet Merlin!

--------

Days passed and the first December came, along with the first snow. It cheered Ginny up enormously; she'd always loved snow. After a long, nice playtime in the snow she went in, cold and happier than she'd been in weeks. She decided to make herself a cup of hot chocolate and with her mother's recipe in her head she went for a cup. With her hand inside the cupboard she froze and her eyes turned thoughtful. Maybe...She made up her mind and took out two cups. No one should be without hot chocolate when there was snow.

She entered the room with the two cups of steaming cocoa and stopped. He was standing by the window, gripping the windowsill in a way that told her it was only sheer willpower that kept him up. He looked like a prince in a painting. A prince hurt in war who now stood and looked out over his lost land. She shook her head, only that he wasn't a prince and the Burrow's yard was no kingdom.

"It's Ballycastle Bats." It was almost a whisper but she heard it and put down the cups and walked over to the window. It was dark outside and the snow was still falling. Standing beside him, staring out made it almost unreal.

"My favorites too." He turned his head and looked down on her, she saw his sneer in the corner of her eye.

"Really?" She turned her head as well and met his eyes.

"Yes." His eyes narrowed.

"Who's their captain?" She smiled, was he going to hear her about what she knew about the Bats? Well, he was in for loss, she'd supported them since she was three and knew pretty much all there was to know about the team.

"Finbar Quigley, also Beater in the Irish National Team..." Without making a fuss she held out her hand to help him back, still rattling facts about Finbar Quigley. After a moment he gave up his pride for exhaustion and accepted the help.

From that evening a peculiar relationship started. They weren't friends and not enemies, they were simply each other's company.

A/N2: So? Still worth the time? Yes, no? Tell me!


	3. Chapter 3

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Three

A/N: Hi! New chappie, yay! I hope you will like it :)

Disclaimer: I don't have enough money to go to Britain and steal anything from J.K.R. I can't even afford it if I hitchhike.

She still didn't know anything about the reasons for her parents' decision to let him stay in their house but she did know that she didn't mind as much as before. Malfoy had after one month in her house turned out to be a rather amusing company when he quit being all high and mighty. A source for intelligent discussion, witty conversation and he was a great opponent in most kinds of games.

He was getting better and could be up for a short while everyday, something he enjoyed immensly.

"Let me see the wound." Obediently he pulled his shirt over his head. He did have a gorgeous body, something she hadn't noticed before, she'd been so busy with the gaping hole in it. Pale and toned and sleek…

"Enjoying the show, Weaslette?" She woke up from her dreamy staring.

"No!...No I was just…." Ogling? Where on earth had he managed to get that body from? Had he always had it, hidden under the thick school robes?

"Some of us have to work to be good Seekers. Potter is too talented to even have to try." It was the first time he'd admitted that Harry was better than him in any way. Even though it came as an insult.

"Please, I have six brothers, I've seen it all before." Well, not really, her brothers were, though charming, not _that_ good-looking. She went around him to loosen the bandages and prayed that the cut was somewhat grave still so she could occupy her mind with the wound instead of how it would feel to slide her hands over his chest, press her mouth to that point just below his collarbone… She shook her head to clear it from the images and unpinned the bandages. Really! First dreaming over his pretty face and then become engrossed in reveries over his gorgeous body, Merlin, what was going on here? She had to be going mad from staying home för so long with only him for company.

--------

"Ginny!" Why did her mum always come when she was busy? She turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around her before sprinting down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Oh, sorry, dear, I see you were showering..."  
"It's fine, mum."

"Well, I won't be long. How are you? Have you been eating? How is young Malfoy?"

"I'm fine, I've eaten and Malfoy is getting better." It felt like they had been through this a hundred times.

"Good, because..." Someone at the Headquarters spoke to Molly and she nodded, "I'm getting to it, Arthur." She focused on Ginny again. "Dear, there're rumours flying around. An attack on the Headquarters around Christmas. We have to move them and I'm sorry darling, but we can't come home for Christmas."

"What?" There was no way she would spend her favorite holiday with only Malfoy as company!

"Sorry, Ginny but we...I have to go, take care, dear!" With a tearful look she was gone. Slowly she rose and turned and was met by the sight of Malfoy staring at her with a look she couldn't read. Then she realized what he was staring at and tried to tug the towel, which she now noticed was very, very small, down a bit. This movement seemed to shake him out of his paralyzed state.

"I guess you _overheard_ that", she sniffed, "It seems like it's just the two of us then." To her horror she felt her tears start to run and she turned to get out of the room.

"Weasley!" She stopped but didn't turn. "You really like Christmas, don't you?" She nodded. When he didn't answer she turned against him.

"Everyone likes Christmas." He looked blankly at her then shrugged.

"Whatever you say." Then he turned and went back into the living room. She took the other door and slowly went up to her room.

-------

"Rise and shine, Malfoy!" She lit the light and cackled evilly when he groaned. He mumbled something she deciphered as 'what for'.

"We're doing Christmas baking today." That woke him up.

"What?" Slowly she repeated her words.

"I heard, I heard but you don't honestly think that I will cook do you?"

"Of course you will and you will enjoy it too." He slumped back on the couch.

"I'm stuck with a madwoman in a house that could fall down over my head any second. Great."

"No, I'm not that lucky, Malfoy. Come on or I'll start without you." He sent her an amused look and she felt that they had come to some sort of understanding. Afraid that she'd start grinning goofily she went out in the kitchen. After ten demonstrative minutes he joined her.

-------

"Alright, Malfoy, admit that you enjoyed baking!" They were sitting surrounded by heaps of Christmas candy and he was nibbling on a gingerbread kettle. He shook his head.

"Awful. Every minute was excrutiating." She saw the humor in his eyes and laughed.

"Well, then I know what to torture you with!"

"Damn!" He looked around in fake fright.

"Malfoy...I was wondering if there was some tradition you had in your family that you...er, wanted to...well..." He tensed immediately. Anything that had to do with him made him shut her out.

"No."

"Oh…well, alright. I'll just do mine then." All of her traditions concerned her family and they wouldn't be here. He seemed to notice her discomfort and continued.

"We always had a great ball on Christmas Eve so mother could pretty and primp and so father could show off all his power and money. The Minister of Magic used to come." That was all he said but Ginny understood that he felt no need to have a ball.

"We'll be busy with all mine anyway."

-------------

"Please, Malfoy, you can't stun the faeries to make them stay in the tree!" He sneered.

"Why not? I could use glue though if you prefer…"

"No, no you have to put a binding spell on them so they can fly around but just close to the tree." He rolled his eyes but lifted the stun from the upset tree-nymphs.

It was going to be an unusual Christmas, Ginny thought.

A/N: So? Tell me, tell me!


	4. Chapter 4

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

A/N: Hello! Next chapter up and as usual it's not beta-ed. Have fun!

Disclaimer: I do not own a thing. Maybe the plot. That's about it.

"How would you like your breakfast, Mr Grinch?" She'd tried to wake him four times now and all he'd done was mumble and roll over. It was Christmas Day for Merlin's sake, who wanted to stay in bed?

"Honestly!" She tugged the covers off him and froze in shock. The wound had gone up and started to bleed again and it looked infected too. She could hear her own breaths and concentrated on it. In and out again. Once more. And again. All her work…It had looked alright yesterday, hadn't it? Had she missed something when she checked? She bent closer and noted with a twinge of panic that the cut wasn't clean; it had gone back to the ragged ends, almost impossible to heal.

She kneeled beside the couch.

"Malfoy? Malfoy, can you hear me?" He didn't move. Now she noticed that his breathing was shallow and cold dread trickled through her veins. He hadn't been this bad when he'd come here in the first place. Now he was struggling for his life. He who didn't have any powers to start with, he hadn't fully recovered yet. _What am I supposed to do?_

"Quit shouting, Weasley. My head hurts like hell." He croaked.

"Malfoy! Your wound has gone up again! It's even _worse_ than when you got here!"

"Aunt Bellatrix wanted to give me something I'd be sure to remember. It's going to get worse everytime it starts to heal, a little bit nastier every time."

"But...But then you'll die!"

"Quick thinking there. Get the hallelujah chorus and start rejoicing, Weasley, all your dreams are coming true."

"If you weren't so sick, I'd hit you for that! I don't want you to die, you moron!"

"Your sweet talk renders me speechless, darling." Although his voice was weak and horse he still could mock her.

"Fine. I don't want you to die because I _care_ about you, Merlin knows why." He managed a snort before he passed out.

As days passed and he would not wake up she realized it was true. She did care for him. She enjoyed his company. It wasn't too hard to admit to herself that she even liked him. She had always been quick to take a liking in people and Malfoy hadn't given her a third as much hell when they were at the Burrow as when they had been at Hogwarts. He was still very much a self-conceited prat but he was somehow so...bearable.

She looked up from the book she'd hoped would distract her thoughts that had failed miserably and looked around. So she'd be close if he woke up she'd dragged a mattress to lie beside the couch and spent her uncomfortable nights there, anxiously listening for his breath in the dark.

New Year's Eve was tomorrow and she'd still hadn't heard from her family. Not that she had expected to be included in anything but she worried constantly about them. And, about her patient. Why was he even here? And why would her parents not tell her what had happened? Malfoy was hers wasn't he? She tensed, had she just thought him as _hers_? As in my patient. She rose and went over to him. What kind of secrets did that expressionless face hide? What mystery did his mind keep away from her? Secrets irritated her. Mysteries laughed her in the face. She wanted to know. Absently she'd let her hand caress his forehead like a mother would do to her child. Realizing what she was doing she quickly withdrew her hand. He had to wake up soon. This stress was making her go nutters.

--------

Two hours later he woke.

"It's getting better. It's over for this time." Her head snapped up, she'd almost fallen asleep in the chair.

"Malfoy! Where does it hurt the most?" He managed a slanting smile.

"Everywhere?" She laughed but it sounded mostly like a sob. Her hands trembled a bit when she checked the wound. In silence she exchanged the bandage and gave him what he needed before she went out of the room. When she reached the kitchen she couldn't keep the question inside anymore.

"How could your _aunt_ do this to you?" There was a long pause and she'd given up on even getting an answer when his voice resounded in the dark.

"I was a disappointment." She made a move to turn and hesitated. His voice was cold and flat. Her sympathy won over her respect for his privacy. Quietly she went back and sat down on her mattress on the floor beside him. The room was dark and she couldn't make out his face more than as a white speck in all the black. She hugged her knees to her chest and sat still.

"What is it you want to know, Weasley?" He sighed. She bit her lip and wondered if this was it. Was she going to hear how he'd ended up here?

"I want to know everything." He snorted weakly.

"I was born the 5th of June 1980…" She didn't object and he fell into his own trap, he would have to tell her his whole life story.

-------

She stared out in the dark. He'd fallen asleep, totally exhausted after talking for so long. At least it was a peaceful sleep, not the deep unconciousness. She wondered if he knew how much he had missed in his life. All those things she'd done as a child he'd only watched other children do. He'd been born into a role. His path had been finished and straightened from the moment he drew his first breath. He had no choice but walk down it or throw himself out in the dark nothingness on either side of the road. The darkness that was cutting off all you ever knew, stop being yourself and stand as wide-eyed to the world as the day you were born.

And that was what he'd done. All his life he'd been molded into becoming the ideal Death Eater and he'd looked forward to it. But one thing had gone wrong. Because Draco Malfoy could not kill. He was unable to steal the life out of someone. For that he'd been punished. Then he'd thrown himself off his path. Now he was falling.

That led her to a new discovery. Draco Malfoy was brave.

A/N2: So? Feed the author!


	5. Chapter 5

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Five

A/N: Hello everybody, enjoy your read and don't sue, I don't own anything.

January 1998

They found a routine. It took a while to acclimatize to each other but they found a pace that suited them both and Ginny was amazed by how easy it had been to have him around. He still drove her mad with his incessant stuck-upness but he was making an effort to not push her over the edge. She appreciated the try. Ever since he'd spent half the night telling her about his life she'd begun to understand more of his behaviour. The fact that she was sure he had never told anyone what he'd told her that also made her feel accessory and linked to him in a way that bordered to friendship. Harry had never told her anything. At least nothing that was going on inside him. She had realized after he'd broken up with her that their relationship had been rather dysfunctional. She would always feel for Harry but the passion was undoubtedly dead, and it was as they said, nothing is as dead as a dead romance.

A week into the new year, 1998, her mother finally called. With bags beneath her eyes and grey skin she appeared in the fire, very early in the morning. Ginny was making tea for the breakfast when she heard the pop.

"Mum! What's happened?"

"Oh, Ginny, dear…I don't know how to say this…They've taken Charlie." The cups she'd been holding shattered against the floor and hot tea spread over the floor. A muffled sob escaped her mother. "I can't stay any longer…" With a tearful look her mother disappeared. She heard her father at the other side of the connection, soothingly talking to his wife and she had never felt so alone in her whole life. They had each other. Then with a final pop the flames turned yellow again and she could only stare at them, wondering if she'd just imagined everything. A minute ago the flames hadn't turned green and her mother hadn't told her that her brother was missing.

"Watch your feet, Weasley." Malfoy stood in the doorway, clearly having overheard the whole conversation. Confusedly she looked down and saw the shards scattered around her. They were broken and spread, like her family. They weren't neatly fit together as a cup anymore; all the little pieces were all over the floor. Her family wasn't whole and it wasn't here. When she didn't move he drew his wand and repaired the cups and removed the tea from the floor. It was like nothing had happened. But it had. There was no proof on the outside but inside there was a twisting knot telling her that it wasn't just a fantasy or a dream. It was for real and still it was a nightmare.

"Weasley?" He'd approached her and tentatively put a hand on her arm. Ginny reacted to it has she had through all of her life, when comfort was offered she accepted. She leaned against him and clung to him like he was her rock on a stormy sea. She didn't see his surprised eyes as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. Awkwardly he put his arms around her waist. Still weak from his wound he sat down and brought her with him. Then they sat. He leaning against the wall and with her curled up against his side. They didn't say anything. He just held her and his silence was like a cool balm on her heated sorrow.

Neither knew for how long they sat there but when Ginny finally straightened it was dark outside again.

"I…" She was looking down, suddenly embarrassed with the intimacy of it all. "Thanks." He nodded and she knew that from now on all comforting words from anyone would be a waste of time. He hadn't known what she needed but given it to her anyway.

"You hungry?" He shook his head so she rose and went to the door. She wasn't hungry either.

"Hey, Weasley." She turned. "Thanks for saving my life." She nodded and went up the stairs. Maybe she'd unlocked another mystery in the riddle that was Draco Malfoy. He was proud, yes, but so was she and today they had both taken a step away from being complete strangers.

------

It was the morning after when she realized that they had become friends. At first they had started to respect each other for who they really were. Then she had started caring and somewhere along the way, so had he. Then yesterday the final step towards friendship had been taken. There had been trust. It was quite a discovery that she respected, cared for and trusted Draco Malfoy.

------

"Ginny!" She looked up from her book. She and Malfoy were sitting in companionable silence opposite each other, reading, when her father's voice called. Surprised she met Malfoy's eyes over the edge of the book. He shrugged a little as if to say, no idea what's going on, go find out. So she rose and kneeled in front of the fire where her father's head floated.

"What's wrong? Where's mum?" She had never seen her father so tired or sickly looking, not even in the hospital when he'd been attacked by the snake in the Ministry.

"She wants to go home and she want us all to stay there. Barricade ourselves there." He shook his head sadly. "But we'll go home a while. We all need some rest. It should be calm for a while now. I'm just here to tell you that we have to move young Malfoy. He is going to be at the Headquarters while we're here. I'll come by tomorrow and take him there and your mum and brothers…" But Charlie, hung unsaid in the air. "…as well as Harry and Hermione will come home." He disappeared from the fire before she had time to reply.

Slowly she went back to the living room. He had put down his book and as usual didn't even pretend he hadn't eavesdropped.

"So…I guess you heard." He nodded and she wondered why she felt so sad that he'd be leaving when her family was coming home. Sure he was her friend now but she had missed her family and she would see them all again. See Hermione. See Harry. She would make them tell her what was going on. "I'm going to make dinner."

He came out to sit in the kitchen while she cooked and it seemed like they didn't need to say anything to know that they were both sad that this time was over. They ate in silence as well and briefly Ginny reflected over how uncomfortable it would be to sit in silence like this with anyone else.

"Chess?" She asked after they were finished and he agreed. The tension loosened when their minds were occupied with something else and the game passed like it had for the past week, with friendly banter and joking. He wasn't as good as Ron at chess so it was much more fun to play him. She had actually won over him some times.

It was late when they decided to call it a draw and she realized how much she would miss this. Miss his company. And...fine, miss him. Impulsively she gave him a hug and whispered in his ear, "I'll miss you." Then she went up to her room without looking at his face. If she had she'd see him completely shocked.

-------

In the morning she heard her father come but didn't leave her room. She'd said goodbye enough last night. What on earth had possessed her to _tell_ him? Fine, they were friends but she wasn't sure how he looked at their friendship, his definition of friendship was probably very different from hers. He might think of them as some kind of allies or something. So she didn't want to face him today. She stayed in her room until she heard the door close. Then she went down and started to make breakfast until she realized she didn't want it. She went out in the yard to find something to occupy herself with and came back in just as restless as she'd gone out. She passed through the rooms and stared for a long while on the couch that had been his bed for so long. It looked naked without his covers on it. She crept up in it and her eyes fell on the book she was reading that she had left on the table beside the couch. A scrap of parchment was sticking out from between two of the pages and she frowned. She never used bookmarks and she was sure she hadn't put one in that book. She pulled the slip out and saw that it was something written on it. _Goodbye, Weasley, DM_. Ginny caught herself smiling. It might not say 'I'll miss you too' but she knew that was what it meant.

A/N: Reviews are always welcome!


	6. Chapter 6

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Six

A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you're all well and that you'll enjoy the newest chapter. Thank you so much for your kind reviews I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything. And let me tell you, that sucks.

March 1998

"Ginny?" She heard her mother's voice from the other side of the door. She didn't move to unlock it. "Ginny, we're leaving now..." She heard the plea in Molly's voice and almost gave in. But the fact that they were leaving kept her seated. They were leaving her. She had to stay at home once again. For five months. In August she might, _might_, be allowed to join the Order. The door remained shut.

Minutes passed and she started pacing like a caged animal. Suddenly there was a knock.

"Go away!" She thought they'd already left.

"Fine, Weasley, keep moping. It's going to make _such_ a difference." She couldn't help the smile that instantly spread in her face. She unlocked the door and opened it. Out on the small landing stood the boy she in her wildest dreams hadn't imagined she would ever miss but had, desperately for the last month.

"Malfoy!" Any other friend she would have hugged but his haughty posture and tantalizing grin were if not hostile, not very welcoming to displays of affection.

"Weasley."

"You're back!"

"You have red hair. Are we done with stating the obvious?" She'd gotten used to and even missed his cranky behavior.

"No. You're an ass. Now we're done with the obvious." With an appreciative nod at her response he strolled past her into her room. He had never been into it. Last time he'd been to weak to manage all the stairs and they'd also been careful to not intrude on private ground too much. Living together had been straining enough without having to protect personal space and privacy. Now she tried to look at her room with his eyes. There was a small bed with a crochet spread, honey-colored walls, a window that overlooked the tiny yard, a white desk that had belonged to her grandmother and a bookshelf. That was all there was room for. It was a nice room but she imagined his own was about twenty times bigger and with lots of classier and more expensive things. Well, she liked her room just the way it was. She jutted her chin as he walked around and inspected. He stopped with his hands in his pocket.

"What's his name?" He nodded towards a stuffed purple dragon on the bed. Ginny blushed, Merlin he must think I'm so childish.

"Mr. Dragon." She mumbled and he smiled. The first real smile she'd ever seen in his face.

"I had one too. Mini Draco." She suddenly saw the connection between his name and the dragon on her bed and realized why he'd asked for the name. She had slept with a dragon in her bed since she was small. She shook her head. Mr. Dragon was a stuffed animal for Circe's sake; it wasn't like she'd had any thoughts of sleeping with Draco Malfoy. Her blush deepened at the thought.

"So, what happened to Mini Draco?" Ginny asked to clear her head of the many disturbing images that suddenly crowded her mind. His smile died.

"My father isn't much for mementos or keeping things for affectionate reasons. It's weakening. Mini Draco was burnt together with all my other toys when my father decided I was too old for them." She couldn't help the sympathy that started to radiate from her and defensively he shrugged. "It didn't matter. I was too old."

"Well, you can borrow Mr. Dragon whenever you're lonely." She joked to ease the mood.

"You're very gracious." The irony dripped off the words. She laughed and felt that she was glad that he was back again.

"You hungry?"

-------

"So how was it in the Order? You have to tell me. The others just said that they had a big plan and then refused to tell me anything. Said that they'd promised on their souls."

"I stayed in my room all the time. Besides, you don't think they told me anything? The ex-Death Eater." They were eating the dinner she'd prepared, sitting opposite each other in the cozy heat of the Burrow's kitchen.

"I just...I want to be a part of it. I hate Voldemort as much as they do, I'm as good as them at fighting. I just happen to be born a dozen months after them. I feel completely hopeless here. Don't you feel useless too? Doing nothing, just sitting here." He froze.

"No. I don't. I don't want to put my life on the line just because some lunatic decides he wants to rule the world. I want to finish school, I want to be able to walk down a street without having to look over my shoulder every damn second, I want to send mail and most of all I want to be able to call myself Malfoy again. I don't want to fight people I once knew, I don't want to embrace the muggleborns, I don't want to spy on my own father and I don't want to join the Order! Why can't you just lay off trying to 'redeem' me?" He pushed away from the table so his chair toppled over and went out, slamming the door behind him. Ginny blinked. She had only seen him loose control a few times over the years and never like this. Slowly she started with dishes. When she was finished she put on her cloak, brought another one and went out. He'd had time to cool off and now she had investigate what had evoked such violent feelings to a mildly offensive question.

The March evening was freezing and dark. No stars or moon illuminated the frozen grounds. The snow had melted and left a soggy and brown sludge that turned stone hard when the gelidity of the night returned. The trees were still naked and looked dead as the empty branches reached for a sun they would never reach.

She waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and then she scanned the yard. It took a while but then she saw him. He was sitting on the wall that marked the end of the Burrow's yard with his back against the house.

"They've been bugging you to join the Order?" He didn't turn his head. "I guess they can be pretty...pushy. I'm sorry if I sounded like I wanted to make you choose a side. It's just...It makes me frustrated to not being allowed to help." She put the cloak tentatively over his shoulders. "I know I can't expect you to turn your back to everything you've ever known and so should my parents."

"Well, they don't. They think they've been so marvelously nice letting me stay in their shack of a house. It's damn manipulative..."

"Is that what you think? How can you speak like that about them? They let you stay here, knowing were a supporter of Him! They trusted you when everyone else would have kicked you at the door!" She whirled around and stormed into the house. She made it to the kitchen before he caught up with her. He grabbed her wrist and made her turn to face him. She suddenly noticed how much taller he was and the gleam in his silver eyes was suddenly not guarded anymore, they shone with danger.

"Listen to me! I hate being obligated to feel grateful to them. I owe them next to nothing. I owe my life to you and no one else. _You_ saved my life, _you_ listened, _you_ cared. They left you here with someone you hate and you not only tolerated me, you healed me and you worried about my life. You think I don't know you sat up watching over me? That mattered to me, not who let me stay here in the first place, because I know that you would have done the same. I owe them nothing and they want the world from me." He breathed hard after his fit. "And I just can't do what they ask. I can't."

Ginny looked up at him and saw his eyes unguarded for the first time. She could look straight into the chaos of his mind. The struggle between himself and his upbringing, his conscious and his beliefs, his coldness and his warmth and she could see that his words were true. Something inside her broke free, her caution towards him, and let out a feeling that had been lying underneath. The moments passed as they just stared into each other's eyes. The released feeling ran in her bloodstream and made her heart pump faster and as it started to sink she realized what it was. It was love. She was falling, rapidly, for Draco Malfoy.

All that could be heard was their breathing. He still held her wrist. She moved a millimeter closer and involuntarily she tipped her head back a bit and leaned into him. So close she could feel his warmth. Still looking into his eyes she saw the pain. She was a Weasley. She was Everything he should not want and Everything he could have. She was what he should deny and what he wanted to welcome. She was all the things he had fought she was what he wanted to fight for. She was a Weasley. She leaned in a bit more and felt his rapid heartbeat against her own. A breath apart the fire popped. They sprang apart with a feeling of emptiness as Molly's head appeared in the fire.

"Hello, dear. And Draco. Good, I needed to speak to you. You're coming here again. We feel that you would be safer here." Which meant 'we need your help to foresee Voldemort's next move'.

"No!" Ginny didn't realize she'd said it out loud until she saw her mother's surprised face. "I don't like being alone..." She mumbled.

"Oh, my poor girl..." Molly sniffed a little. "When I disappear you follow. Arthur will bring your things tomorrow. Come on then." Her head vanished and Malfoy stepped forward.

"Draco!" She'd never used his first name. "I..." She didn't know what to say and with a shrug she felt the tears come. He brushed her cheek with his fingers before stepping into the fire. Then he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

A/N: New chapter! School's been crazy and then I started working and just died of exhaustion everyday when I came home…Anyways, here it is, I hope you'll enjoy!

Disclaimer: See previous chapters, or previous stories, or previous chapters in previous stories. Or don't and read _this_ story instead.

Listlessly she walked through the rooms of the Burrow. Picking things up and putting them down without thinking. Her mind was busy with alarming thoughts. _How? How in the name of Merlin's beard did this happen_? It was Draco Malfoy for heaven's sake! Tired of the same thoughts going in circles she threw herself on the couch. Last night her mother had said Draco was required at the Headquarters and he hadn't come back yet. And since when had she started to think of him as _Draco_? Since you fell in love with him, a snide voice in her head said. She groaned. Why him? Why someone who would never feel anything but gratitude towards her? Because that was what she had seen last night in his eyes, gratitude. By then she'd though he had somewhat similar feelings but she realized now that it had been her subconscious that made her see what she wanted to see. That she wanted to see Draco Malfoy in love with her was not an easy thing to confess, not even to herself. _How could it happen so fast_? But maybe it wasn't fast she mused, they'd been going to the same school for five years. Without talking to each other once. Insulting, yes, but never talked. Then he'd shown up at her house in search for her parents. Forced to live with each other they'd no choice but trying to be civil. Then she'd actually gotten to know him, realized that he was intelligent, funny and actually more caring than he wanted to let on. Not that he was a softie at heart but he actually did have a heart. A small one. She heard her sigh in the silence and punched the pillow beside her and let out a string of foul words.

"I leave you alone for 24 hours and you're already talking to yourself. Pitiful, Weasley." She turned her head and saw him. He was leaning against the doorframe, his hair was slightly mussed, his shirt wrinkled, his posture haughty and his eyes like ice. Something broke inside her at the sight. He was not for her. She didn't see the smallest indication that his feelings towards her were any different from before. Feeling like lying down and forget the world she mustered a weak smile.

"Well, I got more intelligent answers than from talking with you..." He didn't answer, just sank down in a chair and stared into the fire she'd lit to lighten her mood and then forgotten. He looked almost angelic with the golden light setting off a halo around his handsome face. She woke up from her staring when he ran a hand through his hair. Do _not_ let him know, she scolded herself. She shuddered at the thought of how he would react if he found out she liked him… a lot. Because she did and she didn't know how it had happen and it didn't matter. He understood her without words, even if he didn't agree, actually they didn't agree about almost anything. Still they seemed to be able to function in perfect tandem anyway. Perhaps because of the bonds that tied them together. Ties they'd never asked for but got anyhow and now were stuck with for life.

"It's getting worse again." His voice sounded hollow, empty. There was no fear in his voice and that scared her. She didn't want him to just accept his fate; she wanted him to fight for his life like she intended to do. She watched his face that was set in stone and just nodded. He didn't want any words of comfort, she knew. Compassion made him feel weak for needing anything from another person. She'd learned her lesson.

"How…bad do you think it will be?"

"I won't die yet." He smiled humourlessly. "You're stuck with me for a while longer." She managed a weak smile.

"Damn." The room was silent except for the crackling of the fire. They just sat and watched it until it was just a few remaining embers burning. The light flickered and morbidly she thought it looked like they were gasping for air in their dying moment. But they couldn't stop time, they were going to fade, grow cold, the fire inside them would die.

"Do you want marshmallows?" She asked uncontrollably to clear her mind from the thought of having to consider the possibility of Draco's death. He shrugged and she went to get them. In the cool dark of the kitchen she rested her forehead against the cupboards. _Please, don't let him die_! She didn't know to whom she sent the prayer; she just felt the bitter taste of desperation on her tongue. She drew a shaky breath to steady herself before she plastered a false smile over her face and went back to the living room.

"I know Malfoys don't put their precious butts on the floor but there's a rule in this house. You have to sit on the floor to grill marshmallows."

"Well, I don't see any other choice than…that you have to grill mine for me." He smirked and she hated herself for thinking that his arrogant tone was sexy. She snorted.

"Yeah, right." She plopped down on the floor in front of him and stuck her first marshmallow in the fire. When her trained eye estimated that it was just right, all warm and mushy on the inside she bit into it. "Mmm, it's _so_ good."

"I don't think you play fair, Weasley. That's actually really, really low. And very effective. Give me one." He joined her on the floor and Ginny thought she'd go as mushy inside as the marshmallow she was eating. She'd won, he'd joined her on the floor, joined the playful mood and she was going to enjoy it. She didn't have to think about that she would never be anything special to him or that his time was running out like sand through her fingers and all she could do was watch. For now she would enjoy his company.

------

She stared out in the darkness, her body was tense and strung like a bow-string. She'd put the mattress back beside the couch when he'd gotten dramatically worse. Too fast, too bad. Now she listened to his pained moans and her heart ached. She wanted to get up and touch him, tell him everything would be fine. But he wouldn't appreciate it. It wouldn't do him any good, just her. She cared reflexively, he didn't care at all. She was compassionate, he understood people well but lacked in empathy. She liked people instantly, he drove them away and if they stayed they'd proven their loyalty. Not many passed. She had a need to soothe, he had a need to kick at everything and everyone. Still, she believed those parts were only pieces of what his father had taught him. Ginny had no idea how many women before her who had told themselves the same thing. They'd fallen for men who were cruel, mean or violent and thought that with some love they'd change. They were a bit rough around the edges but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed. They were blind to the faults of the chosen one and ignored the fact that no human can change unless she wants to. Now Ginny was caught in the same trap. She'd fallen for a man that not only her family would disapprove of, but the whole wizarding community. And she didn't see it.

-------

_How much more can I take_? How did he know he wasn't going to die now? She had to find a solution to this, she couldn't just trust his judgement. He couldn't know when he would die. Could he? That was just…horrible. He was too young to die. Like Charlie was too young to be fighting in the war. Everyone was too young to fight in the war. But Draco wasn't even fighting and he was dying. Not for any cause but only because his aunt wanted to state an example.

"I won't let you die. It doesn't matter what I have to do, sell my soul or…" She trailed off. Sell her soul, no, but something else. It was extremely dangerous, of course, and almost recklessly stupid. It pit both of them in danger. But it was all she could think of. She wouldn't sell her soul, she would give her life…

Cliffie! Hahaha, couldn't resist! See ya, don't forget to review!


	8. Chapter 8

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Eight

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! But I'm back on track with this story and I hope you'll enjoy!

It was extremely dangerous. Come to think of it…But she wouldn't. She would ignore all the little voices in her head that were screaming that she was crazy. She didn't need to know that, merely acknowledging all those voices could tell her that. So she didn't listen to it, she just continued a final reading from the book, careful to not miss a single letter. When she reached the end she let out a small sigh and put the book down beside her. The room didn't look any different than usual with its warm tones and saggy ceiling. Except perhaps for the boy on the couch, he lacked the red hair she was accustomed to see on it. She closed her eyes briefly as to erase the picture of him. He was too pale. His breathing was to shallow. He was too still. She feared checking his body for signs, in case they weren't there, but could still not refrain from doing so every other minute.

It was strange to think that only weeks ago it could only have mattered so much if he lived or died, and now it meant as much as her own life and death. That was the reason for her even thinking of doing what she was about to do. She looked down at the book again; saw the text she must have read twenty times now. She'd gotten the book from Hermione, 'Complex Spells Through History'. Typically Hermione to give it to her, as she'd put it "just for fun, I mean it's not like we're able to do something like this..." but she'd sent Harry an uncertain glance when she'd said it. If she thought Harry could do it, then Ginny would try. It wasn't like she had a choice, anyway. She could not sit and watch as life slowly left the boy she'd so recently started to care for.

_The Kiss of Life_. She'd learned in Muggle Studies that even the Muggles had grasped the concept and used it in their fairy tales. A kiss that brought back life into the one you gave it to. But beside the complex spell work it only worked to its full extent if you were in love with the person who received it. She was certain that was the case but it was so new, it had snuck up on her so quickly. Ginny rose and stretched; she'd been sitting in the same position too long. With a deep breath she drew her wand, sent a prayer to whoever would listen and got to work.

Two hours later she was tired and sweaty and her brain felt like water floating around inside her head. She pushed her hair out of her face and kneeled beside the couch. All the spell work was done; all that remained was the kiss itself. The most dangerous part. If you didn't pull away at the right moment you could end up giving away all of your life and if you pulled away to early it wouldn't help at all. For some reason she couldn't quite bring herself to do it, not because of the obvious danger but because of him. What if he'd be disgusted? What if he still thought of her as a dirty mudblood lover? What if... She looked down at his pale features. So beautiful...She remembered having thought that his mouth was a waste in a face that only had them to sneer when he'd first arrived at the Burrow. Now when she'd seen them smile at her she knew that it was no waste, not when he could smile at her with it. Slowly, almost dreamingly, she caressed his cheek. She bent closer and thought, _please let this work_, before she touched her lips to his. The feeling that exploded inside her was unlike anything else she had ever felt. It was like a window had been opened and let in a fresh spring breeze that hinted of spring, a wind that only grew stronger and washed away everything that had ever been bad. All she wanted was for the wind to grow stronger and take her with it, take her away to a place too wonderful for words to describe. She started to feel the wind tugging at her and suddenly Hermione's sternest face appeared in front of her. It was too easy.

No!

With a sudden move she broke the spell. The window slammed shut and left her feeling exhausted. Tired to the bone she slumped against the couch. After a minute she lifted her head and checked his body for any signs of damage. But there was none. His cheeks were if not rosy at least their normal shade and she could see his chest moving with every breath he took. If she could she would have danced. Instead she lay down on her mattress and pulled her covers up to her cheek before the world faded.

-----------

She was back in the kitchen. Only this time her mother never appeared. All that could be heard was their breathing. He still held her wrist. She moved a millimeter closer and involuntarily she tipped her head back a bit and leaned into him. So close she could feel his warmth. She leaned in a bit more and felt his rapid heartbeat against her own. He was looking into her eyes and it was like something snapped within him, like a log in a fire breaking and sending up a cloud of sparks, and he pushed her against the wall, pressing his body against her, pinning her to the wall. Her whole body started pulsating and she didn't protest when he locked her arms over her head. It was like a fire in her brain that burnt every sensible thought and all that was left were the flames, threatening to consume her with their sheer force. But she wasn't afraid, she wanted it, wanted to be consumed by the flames of her own desire, the desire he'd lit. His hands moved over her body, and she couldn't see any reason why she would stop him even if she'd let no man touch her like this before. She arched her back when his hand moved downwards, towards the point where the ache could only be relieved by his hands and...

A sound woke her up and she sat straight up the moment her eyes opened. She could only hear her own heavy breathing and the heat in her cheeks. Merlin! That dream had fazed her more than any day dream she'd made up and those had been far more...explicit. This had only been a...well, not a snog, there'd been no kiss, and not a...well, something else either. Still, it was the most arousing experience she'd ever had. Her hands were still trembling when she rose to see to him. His eyes were open.

"Hey, Weasley." His voice was soft but it almost brought tears to her eyes to hear it.

"Hey...Draco." He merely lifted the corner of his mouth before sleep overpowered him again. It hadn't sounded wrong in her on her tongue, as she'd expected it too.

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	9. Chapter 9

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Nine

A/N: As has been a tradition for me I update on my birthday! I hope everyone will enjoy!

"Weasley, what did you do?" She fastened the bandage on his back, even though it seemed he didn't need it. He was as good as cured and it made her nervous. Was it a trick? Would he be healed forever? Did the Kiss of Life actually accomplish that? How strong had it been? Had she overdone it? Would he get side effects?

"What do you mean?" There was actually only one thing she was sure of, and that was that she couldn't tell him what she'd done.

"I mean what did you do to cure me in only one day?" He asked impatiently.

"Nothing." She fiddled with the bandage and tried to ignore that her fingers were brushing the bare skin of his back. "I didn't do anything different than before. I waited." He turned and caught her wrist in one rapid movement. Whomever had said that Draco Malfoy had bought his way into the Quidditch team had been wrong, she noted, he was quick as the serpent of his house.

"This is powerful dark magic, Weasley. It doesn't go away and it doesn't allow you to get better this quick." She met his gaze and saw the fear. Practice allowed her to see behind the armour once in awhile and now she saw that he was afraid. She wanted to soothe his fear but she knew him too well to try.

"I said, I don't know. You're better and that's that." He let go of her wrist and rose, clad in striped, old pajamabottoms ofone of her brothers, which were too big for him, and went over to the window.

"Dammit, Weasley, I have to know what you've done." He ran a hand through his hair. "I have to know if it's gone forever or not. I can't afford to..." The sentence died but she could only too well imagine what he meant. He couldn't affor to hope. He turned, facing her. For once his shields were not up and he looked at her. "Just tell me." She had to close her eyes briefly to resist that look and realized he probably used it just bebcause of that. The Slytherin even used his own fear to manipulate those around him. She opened her eyes again and met his gaze with an innocent look. She picked up the small bag that had contained the clean bandages and rose. "I didn't..._do_...anything...Draco." She said slowly and sauntered past him. If she hadn't had her back turned she might have seen the appreciative smirk that flitted across the young man's face.

---------

During the following days Ginny got to see a new side of Draco Malfoy, a much more pleasant side that confused her endlessly. He was by no means charming but compared his usual performance he was almost...nice. After three days of pondering the reason she shrugged it off as simply an effect of feeling much better. Merlin knew her brothers were cranky when they were sick as well. And with no further ado the snake slithered deeper into her heart.

---------

"You wanna sit in the garden for a while?" He looked up from his book and through the window. Then he lifted an eyebrow before returning his attention to the book, waiting for her to push him. He seemed to find some obscene pleasure in being nagged. She mused that perhaps his parents had never negged him into anything and he was making up for lost times, or he was just his annoying self. She had to bite her cheek to not smile at the thought. "C'mon, we can't just sit in here staring at each other. At least in my case it's painful." He turned a page.

"That's your fringe in your eyes, Weasley." She leaned against the doorpost.

"Nu-uh, it's your ugly, stuck up face wherever I look."

"Have you considered examining your eyesight? Or maybe your head too?" She cocked her head.

"Actually, I have. I can not imagine what possessed me to let you stay." He looked up from the book with the tiniest of smiles that inclined her victory and rose to get his cloak. She didn't move until he had passed her on his way to the kitchen and then she let the smile out. She loved this game. She loved that they had a game. She loved how he acknowledged her point. She loved that she didn't always win. She loved that they didn't mean their insults anymore.

"Are you coming or what?" She turned at his impatient tone and wiped off the starstruck look she believed covered her face.

----------

They were sitting on the wall, as far from the house as the Fidelus charm worked, looking out over the grey fields of Ottery S: t Catchpole.

"So, Weasley, what _did_ possess you to let me stay?"

"My parents told me what to do, as usual." She said with a grin.

"Seriously, why?" She looked out over the fields.

"I wasn't raised to see anyone suffer, I guess. Who is not important."

"Even Death Eaters?" His tone was dry anough to catch fire. She turned her head and faced him.

"I happen to believe in second chances." Her gaze had locked with his and her breathing slowed. She could feel everything so distinctly, the cool air that blew wisps of her hair in front of her face, the ragged stones in the wall, the warmth radiating from his body, how close his hand was to hers. She wanted to slied closer to the warmth, wanted to know what it would feel like to be kissed by him, how it would feel to be...

An explosion resounded and she snapped out of her reverie as he gave her a harsh shove so she fell down from the wall and he joined her, crouching behind the wall that suddenly felt painstakingly small. Slowly they peeked over it and saw the symbol hovering over the village. A whining noise escaped her. She saw him closing his eyes like he was in pain and she turned to see if he was alright. Then the blow hit her. Caught off guard she tumbled to the ground and felt him snatch her wand out of its pocket, and then the world went black.


	10. Chapter 10

Bravery is in the Eyes of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Ten

A/N: As it is my eighteenth birtday, I give you another update!

It was the headache that woke her. She opened her eyes to see winking stars. She sat and realized that she was out in the garden, next to the stonewall, as the nausea hit her. She leaned her forehead against the cool wall and waited for the spinning to subside. The tears ran hot over her cheeks. He was gone; he'd gone and joined them again. He'd left her and turned his back on the last months as quickly as you turned a broom. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her and stopped. It wasn't only her cloak. It was his as well. He'd covered her with it after he'd knocked her unconscious. Could he...? Had he really...? Had he really gone back to...Did he actually care for her? She felt the hope growing like a balloon in her chest. Or did he just want her to believe he cared, in case he'd have to come back? The balloon shrank.

"Ginny? Ginny?" It was her mother's voice.

"Mum?" Her voice was so weak she could barely hear it herself. But Molly could, and with fear in her heart she followed the pull towards the garden. "Ginny!" She caught sight of her youngest child, so small, sitting at the furthest end, dressed in black so the red hair was all that could be seen. She rushed to her daughter's side.

"Are you hurt? Where does it hurt the most?" _Inside_...

"I'm fine, mum. What happened?" Molly's shoulders slumped and she sank to the ground.

"They attacked the village...They couldn't know where our house was but it's easy enough to find out that it's in Ottery S: t Catchpole. You-Know-Who has realized that our whole family stands united against him and wanted punish us and he let it out on the village and there's just..." The sobs she'd been holding back came when the relief that her daughter was fine washed over her. "God...so many dead. Ron was hurt but he's fine...Hermione almost had a heart attack...And Charlie is still missing...don't know...alive...or..." Ginny pushed all thoughts of her own pain to the back of her head.

"Shh, mum, it'll be fine. It'll all be fine." But in her heart she wondered if it was herself she was reassuring.

"...and when I woke, he was gone." They were sitting in the kitchen, mother and daughter, heads bent in the light of the lamp overhead.

"That deceiving little bastard! Here I thought we were helping him and how does he repay our kindness? Feeding off us, collecting information! You didn't tell him anything, did you?" Ginny just shook her, she couldn't muster the force to tell her mother that she didn't have anything to tell him anyways, did she? "Putting your life in danger, laughing us in the face! I should have seen it coming, I should have known when he refused to give us the information we wanted."

"Mum, you asked him to rat out his parents and friends." She said tiredly.

"Liar. Just a damned liar. No sense of rectitude or gratitude." Ginny made a noise that could be both agreement and disagreement as her thoughts wandered to the time when he'd held her when she cried, how he had looked that day in the kitchen when Molly had appeared, how his eyes had looked at her out on the wall. Her mother's voice tuned out and was replaced by his deep one that could play on her emotions like a pianist on a piano.

_You don't think they told me anything? The ex-Death Eater…_

_They think they've been so marvelously nice letting me stay in their shack of a house. It's damn manipulative…_

_I hate being obligated to feel grateful to them..._

_I just can't do what they ask. I can't... _

_I owe my life to you and no one else..._

"Ginny are you listening?"

"Sorry. What did you say?"

"I said it's time you participate a bit more. You've shown a great deal of maturity tonight." Ginny looked up from the table. "I won't let you fight but you'll be allowed to leave the house. I want you to help the people in Ottery..."

_You have to be able to take orders as__ well as give them, Weaselette._

"Yes, mum."

It didn't matter how many times she lay awake through the night, she still couldn't figure out if he had gone back for real or if he was trying to protect...someone. No matter how many times she went through every action, every glance, every word she couldn't be sure and it ate her. She felt as she walked through fog, being able to see herself but nothing around. Nothing reached her and nothing made sense. No connections to the world around her. She also realized that it was ridiculous. She'd known from the start that she could never expect anything back from him. Gratitude at the most. It had cost her many tears and the tears had made her feel stupid. Something that made her fell even more stupid was that she hoped that he was alright, that she worried over his health. And, God how she hated him, for leaving and for being able to make her feel like this. She was no closer to a conclusion or an end to her inner turmoil two weeks later when she decided she would have to concentrate on her work or she would faint from exhaustion after working all day and worrying all night.

She walked down what had once been the main street in Ottery S:t Catchpole. Most of the wreckage had been cleaned away and most wounds had been healed and the dead buried. But a lot of work remained to restore the village to its former state. She was relieved to be able to move outside and do something. If she'd been locked in with her thoughts now she was certain she would go crazy.

Out of nothing someone grabbed her from behind and put a hand over her mouth. She would recognize his scent anywhere. Before she could decide if she would fight or follow he'd dragged her to a dark alley and let her go. He was standing in front of her as if no time had passed. Maybe his cheeks were a bit more hollow and his stance not as cocky as usual but all in all the same.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was a bit hoarse. She could do nothing but stare. Here he was, alive and well after having knocked her out and disappeared for two weeks, asking if she trusted him.

"I don't know." She answered truthfully. He managed a weak wolfish grin.

"Better than I expected. Listen, I don't have a lot of time and if you tell anyone who told you this I'm dead. Your brother is in an underground prison close to Bristol. The apparition coordinates are on this." He handed her a slip of parchment, which she took without really registering what he said. "And also the guard changes. Remember, you tell anyone who told you, I'm dead and then all of your work through the months will be wasted." She blinked in response to his gallows humor and before she could respond he was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Eleven

A/N: I seem to have found a lot of inspiration lately for this story and that's great as it has been stuck for a while. I realized that due to me being confused and having bad notes this story's timeline might not be completely compliant with the rest of the parts of The Weasley Love Stories but there are no major errors. Anyhow I hope you will all enjoy, as usual!

April 1998

It didn't take long before she trusted him again. His information had been proved right by two scouts from the Order and plans of action were already formed. She only wished she could be there when they set out. At the questions of her source she'd only mumbled that it wasn't reliable and that the information should be checked. Twice. 

She couldn't put in words how she'd felt when her mother told her that it had proven to be true. She'd just hugged herself in the empty kitchen of the Burrow. He had to have a deep sense of gratitude if he went to such lengths, put his own life in danger for her brother.

When he'd warned her of two Death Eater attacks where his side had suffered great losses she was beyond doubt of his character. But it had to be tested once again…

He'd approached her in Ottery the times before and when she felt the tug that he sent with a simple spell that you used to find each other when lost in close proximity she followed it without a second thought. In a dark alley it stopped and she looked around. At first she couldn't make him out in the darkness but when her eyes adjusted she saw the pale oval of his face. He looked distressed. Immediately her heart went out to him but she remembered his moods too well to do anything but wait for him to proceed.

"He wants me to spy on you from your house. He found out I've seen you and I managed to convince him that it was to get information. Now he wants me to go back to living in your house and feed him details about the Order." His voice was tired and his usually impeccable posture was a bit slumped.

"Oh." That was all she could manage as her brain worked at high speed. Her parents still thought he was a traitor. If she let him in she would have to hide him. If she let him in… He might be a spy. He would be able to reach her whole family. He might have done all this to be able to get close to the Order. But why now? He could have done it before if that was his purpose. Now he knew how little she got to know about the Order's affairs. She looked up and met his grey stare. It was unreadable. But looking into them reminded her of something she'd said as they sat on the wall the day he'd stunned her. _I believe in second chances_…

"Fine." His eyes widened a bit in wonder.

"I loose count of how many times you've saved my life…Ginevra." He grasped her hand and pressed a kiss on it. She blinked in surprise. Not only because no one had ever kissed her hand before in her life but because the situation was absurd. Still the gesture didn't seem silly when he did it. It seemed as a sign of gratitude and respect and she thought that secretly she would treasure it a long time.

It was hard to go back to the way it had been. The tension seemed too strong to overcome and the days before his departure struck her as innocent and simple compared to this. She had no idea how to get back to the somewhat easygoing relationship they had had before. Sitting in the living room, alone, tired of pondering the problem she pointed her wand at the record player and filled the room with music in hope of escaping the thoughts. One of her favourite songs began playing, a rendition of what Hermione had told her was from a Muggle opera. It was in Italian so she had no idea what it actually spoke of but she liked it anyway for the longing and hope she thought she could hear in the melody. Closing her eyes she let the music sink into her.

"Weasley? Are you asleep?" It only seemed like moments before he spoke to her.

"Hmm? No, no I'm, not." She blinked and sat up straight. He cocked his head.

"Really? Cause this song has been playing over and over for an hour." She felt a little tickle at the bottom of her throat. She hadn't heard that tone in his voice for weeks.

"Maybe I just wanted to annoy you."

"In that case you succeeded." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and she thought that she could see a hint of a smile on his lips. Later she didn't know what possessed her to do it but for a moment it felt like he had never left and they were still friends, in their own way so she asked him what she could never have imagined she would an hour before.

"Would you dance with me?" The moment the words left her lips she regretted them. Merlin, this was like handing your wand to your enemy with instructing how to hex you. He looked surprised and she bent her head to hide her burning cheeks. Sleep must have confused her brain. Then his hand came into her limited view. 

"Coming or what, Weasley? Are you afraid?" She grasped his hand as the record player restarted the song. Tentatively she put her hand on his shoulder and willed her body to not shiver as he put a hand at the small of her back. "Do you trust me, Weasley?" He was too close for her to be able to think, to breathe.

"Yes." 

"Good 'cause I can't lead you worth a knuckle if we stand this far away from each other." He pressed he closer and she could only be grateful that she was holding onto him for support. Starved for all physical contact blended with her desperate desire to touch him until she wasn't quite sure what was left and right. Slowly he guided her around the room with an easy grace that she could only imagine came form intense practicing.

"I wish I knew what the words meant." She mumbled.

"Pardon?" 

"I said I wished I knew what the words meant." He was silent for a while as the song started once again. 

"You who know what love is, see if I have it in my heart. That which I experience, to you I will repeat. It's new to me, I don't understand it. I feel a longing full of desire that now is delight, that now is death." Somehow his mouth was close to her ear as he whispered the lyrics, never missing a beat, still guiding her as she leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying being close.

"Don't stop." He did what she asked without complaint and she smiled.

"I freeze and then my soul bursts into flames and in a moment I go back to freezing. I search a blessing outside of me, I don't know who holds it, I don't know what it is…" His voice died out and the record continues playing. She could feel his fingers toying with her hair and her heart started beating heavily. He was touching her! Almost afraid to breathe to not disturb the feeling she inched her head closer to his neck until her lips were almost touching the point where his pulse beat. Without realizing it they'd stopped dancing. Slowly, as if testing if she'd stop him he ran his fingertips up her spine. This time she couldn't hold back the shiver. Arching her neck she threw her last warnings out of her mind. A breath away from his lips he tensed and his whole body went rigid. His arms fell limp to his sides and his eyes clouded. He closed them briefly and shook his head as to get rid of an unpleasant thought then he left her, standing in the middle of the room with the music still playing. 

Feel free to share your opinion!


	12. Chapter 12

He came back

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Twelve

A/N: It's been a while, I know, I know but in self-defence I can say that it was finished on paper a long time ago, I just couldn't will myself to type it up on the computer. Anyhow, now I have and I hope you will enjoy!

Ginny was sitting in the living room still, in the same way as she had since he left. She had no idea how long that was, just that he had almost, almost kissed her and then backed and been gone. The short step in the room might not physically be very large but he had put a rift deeper than the caves Charlie's dragons' lived in between them. He'd probably realized who he almost kissed. Who was he to judge anyway? How was she inferior to him? Did he consider kissing her too big a privilege to bestow it upon a 'simple' Weasley? She sighed. She couldn't even work up a proper rage to dull the pain his rejection caused. What had she done wrong?

That was when she heard him

She didn't know if he'd actually made a sound but she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. For once his face was open for her to read. The grey depths of his eyes were filled with bottomless frustration, desperation and...sadness? Her heart constricted.

In four strides he was in front of her and he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around her waist, leaning his head on her lap.

For a moment she sat motionless with surprise. Not once during the months in the house had he initiated any physical contact or expressed any wish for it. He had refused when she'd offered her comfort, almost been repulsed by it.

Then as if she was not Ginny Weasley and he was not Draco Malfoy she stroked his hair, running her fingers through the soft strands that were as silky as she'd imagined. A raw sound that she from anyone else would have taken for a sob tore out of his throat and reacting on instinct as well as for...other reasons, she joined him on the floor. She wrapped her arms around him and he accepted it, accepted anything she could give and she offered more, wanting to chase away the shadows in his mind, she pressed her lips to his. She felt his warm lips against her own and the world went away. There was no ugliness, no war, all there was, were the two of them. No fireworks went off and no music played, but she felt as if she could never care for such things in comparison to this. She felt glad of being herself, happy with her whole life, happy with this exact, glorious moment. Wishing to remain in this state, that made descriptions of kisses she'd read about seem as if the author had never been kissed the right way, she pressed herself closer. No one could imagine this feeling, no one had that imagination or the words, there were no words to describe floating and flying, sinking and floating, being heavy and light at the same time. Kissing him made her realize there was no word for happiness that conveyed this feeling at all.

He wrapped his arms around her and she felt a warm tear against her cheek, and she couldn't tell if it was his or hers. His hand set her skin on fire and she moaned as she felt him shifting so she was sitting on his lap, his back against the armchair. When his hand wound into her hair and angled her head so he could kiss the sensitive spot where her pulse was beating she lost her conscious thought and it was replaced with the need to get closer, closer...

"Ginny!" Surprised by her mother's voice they broke apart. He leaned his head on her shoulder and she could feel his heavy breathing against her neck. Somehow his shirt was unbuttoned and her left hand was on his chest. Her right hand was wound tightly in his hair and his hands were on her hips and her lips felt sore. Merlin! She was usually in control, setting the pace during snogging but in this case she knew she couldn't have slowed if she wanted to. On shaky legs she rose and he looked up at her. She couldn't help the smile that broke out like sunshine after rain.

"Yes, mum, I'm coming." With knees that still wanted to buckle she walked into the kitchen.

"Ginny, I...What have you done?"

"What?" She realized that she hadn't checked her own clothes for any state of undress. She looked down and breathed a small sigh of relief when nothing was out of order.

"You look...dazed, were you sleeping?"

"Er.." She tried to flatten her hair a bit. "Yes." Sleeping? She'd never felt more...awake, more alive in her whole life. It was unbelievable what he could make her feel...

"Ginny, I've come to tell you that there's been an attack. It's bad so I really don't have any time but your father...and I thought you should know." Molly's voice was tight. "Diagon Alley. Didn't you hear anything from your source?" Molly had been very suspicious of Ginny's 'source', especially since her daughter was being so secretive about it, but as the information had been proven correct she had accepted it. As far as Molly knew Draco Malfoy had not been seen since the attack of Ottery S:t Catchpole.

"No." Emotions were running haywire through her body like a giant Floo Network that had been wrongly connected.

"Very well." Molly pursed her lips. "I have to go. I'll see you soon, take care."

"Bye."

She stopped in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. He was sitting with one leg bent, leaning his arm on his knee. He'd buttoned his shirt but his hair was still tousled and fell down across his forehead. He looked up.

"I didn't know. I...couldn't _do_ anything." She could hear from his voice that he had wanted to do something, to actually actively oppose Voldemort and the last wall she had around her heart fell. He cared. She sat down beside him.

"I know." And as he had held her when she heard the news about Charlie she sat in silence beside him as they shared comfort without words.

A/N: Since there has been some _complaining_ (hidden threats) about too little action I hope that you find this satisfying, lol.


	13. Chapter 13

Summer 1998

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: School is crazy. That being said I hope you'll enjoy!

Summer 1998

He was gone a lot. Often, he came back, with his face closed and eyes unreadable, unwilling to tell her what had happened. It only served to fuel Ginny's longing to turn seventeen, to be allowed to join the Order, to fight, to take revenge on the people who made him alienate himself from the world. Not that he had been very outgoing before but now he seemed almost unaware of what was happening around him. At times he could sit and stare at the same spot on the wall for hours. First she was worried that he was going to become sick again but nothing happened and when she asked him he just shook his head.

She did all she could to cheer him up. He had not made any inclination of wanting to repeat the scenario Molly had interrupted and Ginny hadn't urged him. All she did was tiptoe around him and wonder what she could do to help him.

--

"...so we'll pick you up around nine and take you here." Molly beamed with tears in her eyes. "I can't believe you turn seventeen tomorrow. My baby..."

"Mum..."

"I know, I know. I'll go now. Take care, honey." She couldn't believe it either. Finally, after months of waiting she would be allowed to join the Order. She hadn't spoken to Draco about it yet as he'd been in a particularly bad mood recently. She really didn't know what to do with him when she left. He couldn't live here alone... Ginny rose from her kneeling position in front of the fire and turned. He stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets.

"It's your birthday tomorrow?" She nodded. He cocked his head. "How come I didn't know about it?" Ginny shrugged.

"You've had a lot on your mind so I didn't...Well, it's no big deal."

"Don't be silly. You've waited for your birthday since I came here."

"Well, you didn't seem to be in the mood for celebration." He smiled bitterly.

"When are they picking you up?"

"Tomorrow evening." He nodded and one of his bright moments occurred.

"Are we having cake?" Smitten with his childish delight she laughed and nodded her consent.

"Chocolate?"

"Fine. Since we didn't get time to celebrate your birthday we can do it together." He had been gone the 5th of June. As well as the 6th, the 7th, the 8th and the 9th. It hadn't seemed like the time to celebrate when he came back, worn out and with an eerie emptiness in his eyes. He nodded and with a small smirk he walked out.

--

"Good morning, Weasley." The light hit her eyes and she moaned. "Merlin knows I had to raise you early so you wouldn't come up on your own but I thought it was my turn to get the sadistic pleasure of waking _you_ for once." She blinked in the brilliant light that shone in through the window. "And happy birthday, by the way." She saw that he was dressed in grey robes over pearly white shirt and black slacks, for once out of his black robes. She knew he had sneaked into Malfoy Manor to get some of his personal belongings recently and he had picked up some clothes. She wondered briefly if he'd deliberately chosen to avoid dressing in black today. Whatever was the occasion her hormones were happy with how the colour set off his eyes to a deep mercury and his hair to platinum. A familiar smell woke her from her rather mesmerized staring.

"Did you _make breakfast_?" Ginny did all the cooking, not only because he had never learned how to do it himself but because she enjoyed it and considered him a guest in her house. She usually made him do the dishes, which he couldn't really complain about as he was of age and could simply make the dishes do themselves. Well, of course he complained anyway but Ginny knew it was more out of habit than actual dislike. She didn't know how she would feel if he'd stop doing it, his complaining spurred the banter they amused themselves with.

"It would appear so. Keen observation skills you've got there." She just laughed and he set the hovering tray down on her lap.

"How did you manage to do this?"

"I've seen you do it for months, haven't I? And if you could do it I figured it couldn't be too hard." She rolled her eyes in response as her mouth was filled with toast. With a handgesture she invited him to sit on her bed and they shared the breakfast while entertaining themselves with insulting famous people. It was a game they played when they ran out of things to insult each other for. The tray disappeared when they were finished and Ginny made a move to get out of bed.

"Wait, I have to give you your gift first, don't I?" Her eyes widened.

"You have a gift for me?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Only if you have one for me."

"Of course I do. C'mon show me, what is it?" When he handed her the small package she heard him laugh for the first time since he had gotten there. Surprised she looked up. For being someone who never indulged in it he had a very nice laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You. You look like that small gift is the answer to world peace or something." She smiled and shook her head. He'd probably gotten gifts often but in the Weasley household they were few and far between, real treats. Slowly she removed the wrapping and took out the small bow. She opened the lid and felt all the air whoosh out of her lungs. It was a necklace, beautifully made with what looked like goblin made silver and from it hung an emerald in the shape of a tear. Within the stone you could hint the outline of an ornate 'M'.

"Draco! It's beautiful!" He smirked.

"You didn't think I'd get you something ugly, did you?"

"Don't ruin the moment, Malfoy." She hit him without looking up, still entranced by the beautiful piece of jewellery. "Could you put it on for me?" He nodded and she shifted so she was sitting with her back to him and lifted her hair so the clasp wouldn't get caught in the mass of red waves. He brought the necklace around her neck and as he fiddled with the clasp his fingers brushed her skin and she enjoyed the small shocks she got every time it happened. He managed to hook it and smoothed the chain, running his fingers along the silver. She let her hair down before she turned and looked him in the eye. She had deliberately slowed her breathing to not disrupt the small caresses of his fingertips and feeling more relaxed and sure of her feelings than ever she leaned into him.

"Thank you, Draco." She pressed her lips to his and the response was immediate. Her mouth opened on its own accord and she welcomed the intrusion of his tongue. The problem of the awkward position he solved by pushing her back on the bed. She had no idea how much time passed but surfaced from the complete unawareness when he pushed her off him.

"Whoa, Weasley, hold it. Hold it! Do not start anything you can't finish." Her breathing was strained and she paused for a moment. At the moment she was straddling him with one hand on the side of his shoulder to support her weight and the other was dangerously low on his abdomen. She felt his blood pulse beneath his fingers and looked up at him. She wondered if he would have stopped her if they had tried this earlier. Would he have cared at all that she was a virgin? The fact that he did care now warmed her heart and she had no problem with making up her mind. Because in the mind of Ginny Weasley it was simple, if you loved someone, you gave it all.

"I think I'll finish what I started." His eyes widened for a moment but then they narrowed and he got a cold expression like a mask over his face.

"You don't think I'll give you more jewellery just because we have sex do you?" Ginny just blinked in surprise before his words made sense. He hadn't been mean to her, not for real, for months and these words had to be the coldest, most unfeeling she had ever received. She pushed herself off the bed, blinking away the tears before he could see them.

"Leave. Now. I don't want to see you again." Her voice sounded cold in a manner she could only assume she'd picked up from him. He rose and looked at her with an unreadable look in his eyes. "Go!" He took the three steps it took him to reach the door but turned in the doorway.

"Weasl…Ginny, I…"

"Don't. Do not talk to me. I can't believe that all this time that I held you in high esteem you were thinking _this_ about me! All this time I've tiptoed around the house to not disturb you, I've arranged my day after your needs, I've even fancied myself in love with you and all the time all I was for you was a whore! You were everything to me and to you I was just a servant. Someone you thought would accept payment for sex. Thank Merlin and God and heaven that I didn't loose my virginity to you, after all it's worth a lot more than just a necklace!" He didn't respond but turned and left. Half an hour later she heard the front door close. Her gaze fell on the rumpled sheets and the purple dragon lying on the floor beside the bed. Throwing herself on top of the messy sheets she let the tears come.

A/N: Sometimes I don't like myself for doing this but then again it _is_ funny! At least for me.


	14. Chapter 14

Winter 1998

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Fourteen

A/N: As I should be studying, I wrote this, I hope my teachers will find it in their hearts that they appreciate my commitment to my readers and give me good grades even though I didn't study, hehe. Anyway, enjoy!

Winter 1998

Ginny looked at herself in the mirror of her small room in the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. She looked as usual. It was strange that not a trace of the black whole inside her could be seen on the outside. It was an endless whole that sucked all her feelings into it and never let them live, not even for a moment, they died like the flame of a candle in storm. With a small flicker her insides were left as dark and cold as before. She couldn't find solace anywhere. In desperation she had even turned to Harry and now found herself to be the girlfriend of the Boy-Who-Lived. She tried to be happy about it but all she could think of was that Draco would be furious about it. Harry was sweet and considerate but they had nothing to talk about. When they ran out of words they made out. It was by no means head-spinning but Ginny tried to convince herself that it was much better than the raging fire that made you loose control of yourself. Kissing Harry was…relaxing. Like knitting. _No! Get a grip, Ginny, you don't think that kissing him is like knitting! That's absurd. Ridiculous. I'm being stupid. I really like Harry, I have for years. End of discussion._

"Talking to yourself, Weasley?" A dark, silky voice sounded and she spun around only to find that it once again had been inside her head.

It was almost Christmas. She couldn't believe that it was just a year ago she had celebrated it with him. It felt like an eternity. And still, she could remember so many little details. She laid back on her bed. As long as nothing happened it was best to find somewhere to strike horizontal position as you had no idea when the next opportunity would arise. She might as well rest. Joining the Order had proved to be as exciting as she imagined and she resented herself for having longed for that kind of excitement. There was nothing adventurous about the danger the few people of the Order faced on a daily basis. She was far from giving in but her life seemed so empty. Sometimes she hoped there would be an attack so that she could fear for her life instead of pondering it for hours. Then she felt extremely bad for hoping it would happen. Until she had gone through all the things in her life that were good, once again. The list was short and made her depressed and she went back to wishing for something to happen. All in all she wanted to forget he had ever existed.

--

She was sweating. The second attack of Diagon Alley had been unexpected and the Order had snuck in and had managed to break it up but some Death Eaters were still left. Ginny had lost her group somewhere and was growing more and more nervous by the second. It was too quiet. There should be fights going on, spells being shouted and crashes when they missed their targets. Screams when they did. She'd been doing this for what felt like forever and she knew the routine. But something was not right. The fog had mixed with smokes from the various fires the Death Eaters had started and she had lost orientation long ago. Suddenly steps resounded, softly and stealthily and it sent shivers down her spine. She sank back into the shadows and gripped her wand tighter. Soon she could make out the swirling. Black robes of a Death Eater and she swore in her head. With such bad sight she couldn't be sure to hit him with a stunning spell and if she didn't hit then she'd give her position away. If she didn't do anything he'd discover her when he was much closer and had better aim. She made up her mind quickly, sent a prayer and let the non-verbal spell fly. It swished by the Death Eater's ear and he whipped his head around as he reflexively sent a spell back. Ginny felt it hit her arm and burn through her robes but bit her lip to not scream. Suddenly she was tugged from behind at the same moment as her body froze. She fell to the side and someone stepped over her.

"Sorry, Hiddens, didn't see it was you. Lucky I missed."

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah, thought you were one of the Order. This damned fog, makes it impossible to tell."

She couldn't see them, just heard them talk as her heart beat at a furious pace, so hard she could feel it ticking against her ribcage. After a little while the two men separated and she heard his steps approach. Rather gently he set her into sitting position, with her back against the wall with him on his knees in front of her. He slipped his mask over his head and ran his hand through his hair. He looked even more tired than the last time she'd seen him and his cheeks were hollowed. The dark shadows under his eyes looked eerily dark in contrast to his pale skin.

"I'll release you in a minute, Weasley, but I want you to hear this first." He seemed to search for the words as he stared over her shoulder. "Nothing in my life…About the last time we saw each other…No one I have ever met has ever…liked me, not for who I am, for what I have, sure, but not for any wish to actually spend time with me. I'm used to this, I can handle it and it doesn't make me feel bad or sad and lonely inside, so don't get all mushy. I just want you to know that no one has ever cared enough to do what you've done for me and this time…I guess I've realized exactly how much it is you've done for me now that I can't relay on it." He drew a deep breath. "What I want to say is, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I've taken you for granted and for…expressing myself with very tactlessly. I don't do this a lot so if it sucked I guess you can take it in consideration." He rose and walked away and she realized that he had set the spell to respond to the distance of the wand that had cast the spell. When he was out of sight she felt her body unfreeze and she rubbed her arms which had grown cold from being still for so long. She stared at them mist where his tall shape had disappeared. Sometimes, she thought, something happened.

A/N: Well, that was nice of him!


	15. Chapter 15

She couldn't believe the Death Eaters had chosen such an insignificant, in their eyes at least, target

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Fifteen

A/N: Sorry for the long wait and also for this chapter being extremely short but I really wanted to update. I've had an incredibly hard time getting this out and I hope the next will get better.

Disclaimer: For those of you who never get tired of reading my endless variations of the same thing, here it is, I do not own anything concerning the Harry Potter Universe. I'm a loser and don't I know it.

She couldn't believe the Death Eaters had chosen such an insignificant, in their eyes at least, target. The small village consisted of no more than fifty houses in a random pattern as if someone had thrown them around in a wild game. It was hardly You-Know-Who's dream goal. He liked attention and spotlight where his actions were easily recorded to the fright of the spectators.

It was two weeks since she'd seen Draco in Diagon Alley and to her own shame she wondered if he was in the village now, if he was close…

As if he had heard her thoughts she saw him walking towards her, she recognized his long strides. She stopped and saw him do the same. Ginny shifted uncomfortably. After a moment of silence she said,

"You might not want to go to the left here, you could run into some of my friends…" His piercing stare bore into her and then he nodded.

"You might want to get your friends and go visit the third house on the right on Daffodil Alley."

--

Silently they crept down the hall of the house. It was small and cluttered with big dusty windows letting the dreary light fall in big squares on the worn wooden floor. Ginny was walking last in the row behind Apulcet and did her best to avoid stepping on the squeaky floorboards. She had no idea what they were looking for, she only had his word that it was worth a "visit". Ginny almost rolled her eyes when she felt an arm grab her and pull her off her feet through the door to the adjoining room. _How_ did he do it and _why_ did he always have to catch her off guard? He pinned her to the wall with one arm blocking her way out and his hand over her mouth.

"Are you going to scream if I let you go?" She shook her head. He moved but paused. "Are you going to stay for a while if I let you go?"

"I might." He smiled, just a tiny lift of the corner of his mouth but to her it was like the sun had just broken through the clouds.

"I'd say it's in your interest to stay. You see next Friday..." He started to rattle off details about an attack that was going to take place the following week and all Ginny could do was nod. He was risking his life for her, still. She smacked herself in her head. _For the Cause, Ginny, don't be silly and start weaving romantic dreams about him again_! "...you got it?"

"Yes. I..."

"Good, now stun me."

"What?"

"Stun me. It has to look like you beat the guard to get to what is in this house."

"What is there?"

"Just stun me, all right?" She closed her eyes and raised her wand.

"Eyes open, please. I'd like to keep my face the way it is." Then he pulled on his mask and with a deep breath she let the spell fly.

--

"I can't believe you found it. It's amazing. It's the whole plan. The maps with targets...It's just..." Harry couldn't find any more words he just pressed a kiss to Ginny's lips.

"It really is, Ginny. Who told you?" For a split second she considered telling them, just to let them know that Draco Malfoy wasn't the scum they all thought he was. But if they knew it would be considerably more dangerous for him to be in the Death Eaters' midst.

"My source."

"You're so tightlipped about you source, c'mon tell us who it is. The guy's a hero." Ginny smiled as she could see Draco's flabbergasted face in her head if someone called him a hero.

"It's my source and I intend to keep it strictly confidential as I have told you many times, Ron."

--

She sat down in front of the old fashioned vanity, once again staring at her reflection. She was paler then usual due to the time she spent indoors and her eyes were tired giving her a vulnerable look. She opened the hidden compartment in the table and took out the necklace he'd given her. The bleak light in her room made the 'M' inside the stone twist and shine. She wound the chain around her hand. The books she'd consulted had told her that an emerald that large with goblin silver from the Renaissance was worth around one million galleons. An amount of money she couldn't even imagine. When she'd come to the Order she'd considered selling the necklace to help the Order but the astronomical sum would be hard to explain. Now she was glad she hadn't sold it. After all, money was the only way Draco Malfoy had ever learnt to appreciate anything in. Ginny looked up at her reflection again. There was a difference now. She saw hope. With a small sigh she clasped the necklace around her neck and tucked it in under her shirt. Then she rose, there was something she had to do.

--

She found him in the living room.¨

"Harry, we need to talk."

A/N: Feed the writer!


	16. Chapter 16

Christmas Day 1998

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter Sixteen

A/N: Last chapter got a massive response, which encouraged me to update. For everyone who were waiting for some action, here you go!

Christmas Day 1998

She was so happy that they were all together again. The successful rescue from the prison in Bristol had brought Charlie back and now all of her brothers as well as Harry and Hermione and her parents were assembled in the living room of the Burrow. Perhaps the spririts were not as high as usual at Christmas in the Weasley household but it was by no means close to the high-strung stress that hung over you in the Headquarters. Everything was as good as it could possibly be and still she caught herself looking around to see him every other minute. The always perceptive twins had already joked about her looking for Father Christmas. Watching the fairies zoom around the tree had her smiling to herself and ridiculous things like seeing gingerbread kettles or the pajamabottoms he'd borrowed made her feel empty. Almost like the Christmas tree decorations, the shiny balls. All sparkly and happy, when they reflected their surroundings, but empty on the inside. Which was an awful metaphor. She needed some air.

Harry made a move to follow her when she rose but sank back. Their break-up had been as undramatic as their relationship to her but Harry had taken it badly. Of course he'd said nothing but kept it bottled inside him. Rather alike another boy she knew...Funy that the two boys she had been in love with in her life, so far, were both so emotionally unavailable.

With a claok wrapped tightly around her she stepped out in the garden and enjoyed the crunching sound of the snow under her feet. The sky stained with stars like diamonds on dark velvet. Her hand moved to fiddle with the necklace he'd given her as she automatically did when she was alone. It was more than a gift. It was as close to appreciating words as she would ever get, from him. Well, it was his way and it was a matter of reading it, speaking his language. Just because it wasn't her own didn't mean she meant nothing to him. He had apologized after all. And when he'd kissed her...She sighed. There was no way she could ever settle for his way. She craved love, breathed it. She needed affection. Ginny Weasley needed more than the trust and the friendship from Draco Malfoy and it was the bitterest confession she had ever admitted to herself.

Ginny wasn't very surprised to see him when she looked up. He had been in her mind for so long she didn't really realize he was really there. He motioned for her to follow and with a shake of her head to assure herself she wasn't dreaming she followed with a quick look over her shoulder. He went into the small treehouse that was not actually in a tree and was more like a tiny cot where Ginny had used to play 'house' when she was little. It had a permanent heat charm to it and inside it was stuffy as her mother tended to overdo a bit. She entered behind him and for a moment she got a fleeting feeling that something was about to happen. Then as quick as it had come it disappeared and was replaced with a sense of waiting and biding. With a swift move of his wand the door swung shut and a single light fluttered spreading its warm yellow light in the room, struggling to illuminate even the dark corners but failing miserably.

"There is going to be an attack on New Year's Eve. Birmingham."

"Oh...thank you. Thank you so much. For everything. This. I mean it's really..." Her sentence died.

Standing at the opposite walls of the cottage had a rather dimunitive distance put between them and Ginny weighed on her heels, waiting for something, not really knowing why but she was unwilling to leave.

He drew his hood back reavealing several badly healed cuts and bruises. Ginny gasped and closed the distance in few steps.

"What happened? What did they do to you?" He smiled sardonically but didn't move away from her gentle hands as she examined the cuts.

"A bit of fun at the Headquarters for being ignorant enough to let the plans slip through my fingers." Her hands fell. The whole aspect of the danger he was actually in dawned on her. It crashed over her like a wave and washed away every reason she had ever seen for him infiltrating the Death Eaters. She pushed him down on one of the small chairs and with shaking hands she started to heal the wounds.

"I don't want you to go back, Draco." He winced sharply as if her words had hurt him but she put it off as the healing process burning him.

"I have to."

"No you don't. I know you're doing this because you think you owe me but I dont, _don't_, want you there anymore. Please." He looked down so she could see no sign of emotion in his eyes whatsoever.

"I can't...Ginny." He looked up and a flaring flame of hope lit inside her. His eyes were almost pleading. He took her hands in his, and had to crane his neck to look her in the eye as he was sitting on the really small chair. "I despise every minute of it but...it's the only way I can ever..." His voice died and she saw he was about to close off the stream of emotions so she guessed the rest and hoped, prayed that he had meant what she thought he did as she bent down and pressed her lips to his. Her hands went from his now healed, unharmed face to wound in his hair. His response was immediate and him rising and kicking the chair away solved the awkward position. With a push he had her pressed against the wall and she felt the world around her fade once again.

--

Much later she pushed herself off the floor that was hard even if he'd spread his cloak on it. Their clothes were strewn across the floor and she smiled seeing his and hers mixed in a trail that proved that as of now Ginevra Weasley was a woman. She looked down on him where he was breathing soundlessly, his angelic face innocent in sleep. With fear she searched her heart for any feeling of disappointment or loss. Relieved she realized that she had no regrets. Actually she was more in love with him than she had been when they entered the cottage. Losing her virginity in her playhouse might not have been what she had planned or dreamed for but with him it didn't matter. As long as it had been with him she would have done the same no matter where they had been. She swept a strand of hair off his forehead and pressed a kiss there. Slowly he woke up and she got the pleasure of seeing his eyes unguarded for a moment and she saw happiness. Nothing else in the world could ever match this second she thought and smiled at him. When she got a small smile in return she covered it with her own and...

"Ginny!" She froze. It was Ron's voice. "Ginny, where are you?" Frantically they scurried for their clothes and in mere moments they rushed for the door. Draco hurried out and set off towards the woods as Ginny leaned on the doorpost. Suddenly he stopped and turned, his eyes seeking hers with a worried look in them. It warmed her heart and she smiled, mouthing 'see you'. He grinned. He actually grinned before he turned on the spot and disappeared.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you. C'mon, mum wants to start dinner."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just got cold from being outside so I stepped in the playhouse."

"You always loved that place." With a look at the small house, now dark and empty she smiled.

"I still do."

A/N: Hahaha, I really liked this chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 17

A/N: I can't believe I am one of those writers. Sigh. The ones who never update. It was just really hard after the last chapter to think of what to do next, even though the story is planned out and the ending already is written, in one of my other stories…As you know it is a part of a series and the other stories are a bit ahead. Anyways, now I am updating and I hope you'll enjoy.

Summer 1999

Secretly seeing Draco Malfoy was, in some ways, much easier than she ever could have imagined. He was to her, somewhat ashamed astonishment, turning out to be eerily perfect. It seemed like they were walking down a lane they'd been down a hundred times before, where they knew every turn and pothole. He was as usual interesting company, with his sharp tongue and never-resting mind. He was an amazing lover, which she could tell even with her limited experience and he seemed to be in tandem with her thoughts and moods. But what amazed her most were the fierce feelings he seemed to have for her. Not that he would voice them in the words that are so simple to say, yet so hard to mean, but with every word, gesture and look he expressed devotion that she couldn't help feeling undeserving of.

Ginny smiled as she dried her hands after finishing the dishes at the Headquarters. Much earlier than if one of her brothers had been assigned the work as they spent more time arguing over the unfairness than actually doing the dishes. She liked it, it gave her time and solitude, a moment to think back on the last time she'd seen Draco.

The months had rushed past in a blur, a haze of happiness and sorrow that made her insides feel twisted. She felt bad for being so happy in a time of despair, never realizing that it was her happiness with Draco that kept her up as others doubted.

---------------

She really had to be more careful. Once again she had lost her group on Death Eater territory. Her heart pounded as she stayed close to the walls of the picturesque little houses lining the empty street.

"Weasley, you really got to be more careful", she relaxed instantly as she heard his voice and let herself be pulled off the street into what must be a bookshop, even though the Order's warning, thanks to Draco, had been able to empty the village, and it had left the shop deserted with the shelves gaping empty.

"I was just thinking along the same lines, myself. You seem to appear whenever I need you, isn't that great?" He ran a hand through his hair, never letting go of his wand with the other.

"I'd prefer if you didn't need me to save you at all." Her temper woke as a cobra poked with a stick.

"And exactly what do you mean by that? I am just as good as you at dueling and I can take care of myself thank you very much, I'll let you know that-"

"I worry about you , alright! I hate this fucking war and it is damn unnecessary but for now that's the way things are and if it weren't for you I'd be on some sunny beach far away from here, minding only what to have for dinner!"

"Well, don't stay on my account, I am perfectly fine without you and I don't need your ridiculous protectiveness or hovering or-"

"Don't be stupid, you always lose your group when you're out, you keep forgetting to be at your guard, if I wanted I could have killed you a dozen times while creeping up on you if I'd wanted and-"

"You'd like that wouldn't you, and then you could just leave everything to go sit on that beach, minding your dinner and some stupid bimbo blonde in a bikini just like you've always wanted and always will want, you-"

"Ginny, I _know_, I _know_ what they do to their prisoners and if that happened to you I'd kill myself because…" He trailed off and whipped around, listening, in a move that reminded her of a cat preparing to fight. "Damn, someone's coming…" For a split second he looked around for somewhere to escape but there was only the door they'd come through where Ginny now heard the approaching steps too. "I'm sorry", he said and before she could reply he'd cast a silencing charm, bound her hands lifted her on top of the counter and ripped her shirt. To the sound of the small buttons hitting the floor the Death Eater stepped in. Draco whirled around as if he were startled.

"God, Williams, make yourself known, I could've struck you!" The man snorted behind his mask.

"More likely I could've got you., But I see the distraction, all right." Draco sent him an icy smile over his shoulder as he turned back to her.

"Right. Picked her up just outside the door and it seemed like such a shame to let something so pretty go to waste." She didn't recognize his voice, it was so cold, so menacing. He pushed her back and she felt her heart beating madly against her ribcage. She hated this, she hated that he'd bound her so she couldn't defend herself. He moved slightly so that Williams couldn't see her face, he didn't want him to recognize her. But he didn't have to see her face to know, he saw her hair.

"Whoa, Malfoy, is that the Weasley girl?" He took a step forward and then there was a green flash that Ginny recognized all too well. She screamed soundlessly and struggled against the bonds but both his spells and his hand was keeping her down. Then in an instant the bounds disappeared and he fell to the floor.

"Draco!" She sat up and saw her own wand fall out of his hand. Dumbly, she stared at the two fallen Death Eaters. He had killed the other Death Eater with her wand and then cast a spell on himself with it, to make it appear as if she'd done it. The last spells on his record had to be the silencing charm and the invisible ties. She wanted to take him with her; God knew what his master would do to him when it came out that he'd been beaten by a small girl, again. But she couldn't. No one at the Order would accept him. They might believe he was her source but there was too much history between him and the Trio. She would have to leave him. With tears streaming down her cheeks she stumbled out from the bookshop.

-----------

Where was he? They always met in the playhouse every Tuesday. He was always there. He never missed it. He'd come when he had the flu and high fever. He'd come the day the Dark Lord had given him his estate back, for good service. He came on his birthday. He always came.

She waited a week, then two but it was tearing at her nerves. The last thing she's said to him before he took himself out was that he was a coward. As if anyone actually wanted to be in this war. As if being a hero mattered. Ginny threw the book she was trying to read at the wall, making a satisfying thud. The walls of the Burrow, where they were at the moment for a short break from the walls of the Headquarters. Were thin ad her mother soon came up the stairs.

"Ginny? Are you all right?" Her mother opened the door. No mother, my boyfriend, who s Draco Malfoy by the way, has not contacted me in weeks, I don't know if he's hurt or if he never wants to see me again, which would be no wonder after what I said to him, and it's lowly killing me.

"I'm fine , mum." Molly just gave her a long look.

"There was a letter for you. It doesn't say who it's from. I hope all your friends are aware of the danger of sending mail here?" Her heart had started racing as she tried to get a glimpse of the handwriting.

"Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about? You know I'm always here for you."

"I know, mum. Can I have my letter, please?" Molly handed it over and left. It was from him! She recognized his beautiful handwriting and tore it open.

_Ginny – _

_I don't know where to start, there's so much to tell but I only have a few minutes before I have to go. First of all I'm sorry for last time and for not contacting you. I was hurt, physically and mentally but as I was recovering I realized that being angry with you is idiotic. Why should we fight now, when all the time we have is precious. When the war is over I intend to have a lot of time to fight with you. Right now however I think that the Dark Lord is suspicious of me and I have to watch my step more. That's part of why I'm not going to be able to see you for a while. We're moving our Headquarters, if I knew where I'd tell you, and I'm going to be under more scrutiny now. Please believe me when I tell you that all I've done and said I've done to keep you safe. This is probably the worst and messiest letter I've written in, my whole life and my mother would scold me for it but I'm in a hurry. Stay safe and I'll see you the minute it's possible again. I don't know how long it'll be…_

_D.M_

Reviews are always appreciated!


	18. Chapter 18

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 18

A/N: Well! It's done and that's all I'm going to say on the subject.

November 1999

He'd said he didn't know how long it would be, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time. But what could he possibly be doing? It had been five long months since she had gotten the letter, five and a half since she'd seen him. He could be anywhere. Oh, how she regretted that he was trying to prove himself to her. She didn't mind if he was a coward as long as he came back safe, here with her. At the same time she knew it would be impossible. Draco was proud, annoyingly so sometimes and if he couldn't respect himself then she knew he wouldn't be with her.

"Ginny? Ginny?" She tore her gaze from the window when her mother's voice interrupted her thoughts. She realized from the look on her mother's face that she must have been calling her name for a while. "What is with you these days? You're getting more and more distracted. Are you feeling well?" No, mum, I feel terrible, actually, since I haven't seen Draco Malfoy for almost half a year. It's Christmas and everything that used to remind me of happiness and tradition reminds me of him and makes me miss him even more. Can you imagine a black hole, as those in space, where everything is sucked in and then lost forever? That is how I feel inside, and that's what's wrong.

"I'm fine, mum. I'm just tired of the war."

"We all are, honey. But we are going to win, never doubt that." That was the worst part she guessed, that over the months when she hadn't seen him she had lost her faith in the cause. It no longer felt right to go out and fight, hell, soon it wouldn't matter who won anymore if he would just come back. His absence made her into a mindless robot and no matter how much she hated how dependant she was on him it only brought her back to the start again, she loved him and needed him with her.

-------

If she could only be certain he was unharmed she might get some sleep once in a while. She knew she was getting skinnier and had bags under her eyes, she knew that very soon she would have to set out and try to find him, and she'd go to the Death Eater stronghold if she had to. So far she had managed to force down food and survive on the heavy sleep from a potion bottle but it wouldn't hold for that much longer. Her mother was already worried as Ginny couldn't seem to concentrate on the task at hand whatever she was doing. Molly had taken her home in hope of making her feel better but as she lay in her small bed she thought that wherever she was, whether at the Burrow or the Headquarters he would still not be there. What if he was dead? She fought down the panic and buried her face in her pillow. She couldn't think like that, it would kill her.

There was a knock on the window and she sat. She could make out a familiar form hovering on the other side and her tears started running. This had happened so many times before, her imagination created him, almost real enough to touch and then she reached forward and found nothingness that mirrored the emptiness she felt inside. She dreamt of him, she saw him in her daydreams and even fully alert out of the corner of her eye. But he was never there.

She bent her head to lean on her updrawn knees as she rocked with sobs.

"Shh, shh, don't cry, Ginny, don't cry", even his voice was so real it wrenched her heart. The bed shifted and creaked under his weight and she felt his arms around her. Then she lost all the air in her lungs as she felt his heartbeat against the back of her shoulder.

"You're here!"

"Keen skills of observations, as always, Weasley." His characteristic retort made her sobs a strangled laugh and she looked up at him. He was looking wearier than ever.

"What happened to you?"

"Not now", he mumbled and searched her lips for a kiss that scorched her blood and sent her from devastation to bliss in a nanosecond.

-----

Later, much later, with her head resting on his chest and his pale fingers toying with her hair she felt at peace for the first time in many months. He was here, with her and he was safe. Exactly how safe with her whole family surrounding them she didn't want to think about. She couldn't believe the effect he had on her, her mother and father and brothers as well as Harry and Hermione were on the other side of her door, for Merlin's sake and still she had thrown every caution with the wind. She hadn't even locked the door. _She hadn't even locked the door! _She realized and reached for her wand. Her mum or worse, one of her brothers could have barged in and if they had come two minutes ago everyone involved would suffer from severe emotional scarring by now. She couldn't help the giggle and it was such a relief to be able to laugh again that she had to hug him.

"What is it?" His voice rumbled in her ear from where she lay on his chest and she revered in it being so close.

"I just realized that we forgot to look the door." He smiled lazily, probably satisfied that she'd been too preoccupied with him to remember it.

"Are you saying that your family wouldn't have approved of finding you being ravished by Draco Malfoy right under their noses?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Actually I think they'd hex off some of your vital body parts." She didn't get the response she'd hoped for, his well-known snort or the rolling of his eyes that she knew so well she could practically _hear_ it. He remained silent and she rose on her elbows to look down on his beautiful face. He was never easy to read, not even when he was relaxed and now his face was closed and almost…pained?

"Ginny…I", as if she'd known what was going to happen in some sort of premonition she felt time slow and his words rang clear, "…love you." He said it so quietly she almost couldn't hear it but she knew he had and felt in all her heart what it had cost him. From what she knew she guessed this was the first time he'd uttered the words she'd longed to hear for so long. Still it shocked her and every system went to shutdown form overload. She'd thought it'd be months, maybe years until he admitted it if she was lucky enough to keep him that long. She didn't realize the silence was stretching and that he was growing more and more nervous by the second. When he shifted to rise she woke up from her trance and pushed him back down.

"Hold it. Would you just give me a second before you start regretting what you just said? I need to tell you I love you before you do." He relaxed completely and she felt his breath hitch under her ribcage. "I love you Draco Malfoy, even though you can be such a snob sometimes." He chuckled and the small creases that she knew he hated as much as she adored appeared in the corner of his eyes.

"I love you Ginevra Weasley even though you can be an annoying wench sometimes."

A/N: Wow, was that hard to write and I don't feel I succeeded in conveying all that I imagined for this chapter. Anyways, reviews are always appreciated and awarded with brownie points.


	19. Chapter 19

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 19

A/N: I am sorry y'all had to wait again but here it is now, chapter 19! Jut to clarify as someone asked, I _do_ plan to finish this story. About the chapter length, the chapters are always around 1000 words as longer chapters seem daunting to me when I write, haha.

December 1999

"Are you sure about this, Ginny?"

"We're leaving today, no one will find you here." She gestured vaguely around the room. After these past months her playhouse held more happy memories for her. It was the only place she could think of to hide him.

"I don't know…"

"It's just for a month, right?" He nodded where he sat on the table with his foot on a chair, pushing it to wobble on two legs and then let it go with a clatter of wood against wood. She winced every time but realized his nervousness and said nothing. He'd told her earlier that Voldemort had ordered him to "see about his business" for a month and it could only mean he wasn't completely certain of Draco's loyalty. Usually if Voldemort doubted loyalty he would simply kill the follower in question but his ranks were somewhat diminished. All the Dark Lord wanted now was to plan the final battle in peace away from prying eyes and then use the ones he'd sent away as bait in the end. Knowing this fully well he had told her, his voice void of all emotion that he might very well not make it through the final battle. If he ran away the Dark Lord would know and he would never again be safe, if he didn't he'd be in the front line in the final battle and be very likely to die. Ginny suppressed the tears that always threatened to break out, she had cried enough, now she was fighting for him, she would be strong for him.

"Plus, if you're here I'll be able to visit you." He ran a hand through his hair and replied,

"So you are going to use me for sex and lock me up in a shed, Weasley? I feel so soiled." It was a weak imitation of his usual self but she smiled at the effort and closed the distance between them and sat on the table next to him. She stroked his back in a soothing movement and revered in the fact that she could touch him all she wanted now. Ever since they'd admitted they loved each other the physical contact had become extremely important to them both, as words simply could not convey their feelings. After he had been gone for so long she enjoyed just feeling his thigh against hers to know he was there.

"That's right and I'm going to start to use you now…" Confident that she would never be unwelcome in his arms she leaned in for a kiss that soon had them both panting. He slid off the table to stand in front of her between her knees.

"Say it", he breathed as he started to unbutton her shirt.

"I love you". He had told he that no one had ever said those words to him before and he never would tire of hearing them. He pressed a kiss to the base of her neck where her pulse was beating three times faster than usual.

"Again", his mouth traveled to her collarbone.

"I love you"

*******

Later, when Ginny snuck into the Headquarters, she massaged the small of her back as she pondered how smart it was to have sex on a table. However gratifying it was at the moment you had to pay later. With a grin Ginny thought that for what they had achieved on that rickety table she'd pay double the pain.

"What are you looking so damn content about?" Her brother's voice shocked her but didn't put a damp on her afterglow.

"It's a good night, that's all. The stars are beautiful." Ron shrugged from his place at the table where he was enjoying a midnight snack. He wasn't quite sure what his sister had been doing but the truth, that she'd shagged his archenemy on a table in his childhood playhouse, he couldn't even have imagined.

"Goodnight, Ron", she floated upstairs.

"Night, Gin."

*********

Christmas Day 1999

"I can't believe it has been a year. A year since we got together."

"The best and the worst year of my life. If it wasn't for the war we could celebrate for real, not hide in this hut." They were sitting on a blanket in the middle of the floor, she clad in his shirt and he in his slacks.

"If it wasn't for this war we'd graduated from Hogwarts without ever even talking to each other." However much she wanted things to go back to normal she shuddered at the prospect of never loving him.

"Still, I'd like for people to know about us. I want every man who sees you to know that you're taken." He reached inside his shirt and pulled out the emerald drop she always wore underneath her clothes. She'd charmed it just in case to look like a cheap necklace to everyone but her and Draco. The ornate M seemed to burn inside the stone in the candlelight and she sighed, as she always did, at the sight of it. Not only because the stone cost more than three Burrows but because he had given it to her. "I want to give you jewels so that everyone can see how highly I value you."

"You don't need jewels for that Mr. Caveman, they'll know, cause I'll tell them."

"Money is the only language everyone understands and I'll give you so much that…"

"Draco, I don't need money. I just want you and what we have together." He turned towards her and pinched her nose.

"I know and that is why I love you, I just want the world to know. I want the war to be over so that I can give you something more romantic than this, but for now…" He pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his cloak that was lying beside the blanket. "Here." He handed it to her and she turned it in her hands. It was small, about five centimeters and in a deep violet hue with flowers, lilies etched on it. Inside was a clear liquid and she opened her mouth to say that perfume was a romantic gift when a small detail stopped her.

"Draco, is this…", she whispered, "…Phoenix tears?" He looked embarrassed, he was probably aware that she knew how valuable they were. "How did you get these? We're in the middle of a war, they can't even be found on the black market!" He shrugged,

"Money still spends."

"But, but these must have cost a fortune. Draco, I can't accept this. There are people who needs these, who are dying." He took her hands and with an intent look he started,

"Ginny, listen to me. You are except for my parents the only person I have ever cared for. If I lost you I don't know what I would do. _I wouldn't make it, okay_? I can't leave tomorrow unless I know that if you were hurt you could heal. Please, Ginny, because I love you, will you stop thinking about others and consider yourself. I want to be able to be with you after this is over. If that's what you want too, then you'll keep it." It was the longest proclamation of his feelings he'd ever uttered and she closed her hand around the small vial.

"Considering what I got you I shouldn't be hesitating…" She reached into her own cloak and pulled out the small package, knowing his weakness for gift-wrappings. He tore it open and the small strap fell out. He lifted it and being skilled in potions his eyes widened as he realized what it was.

"Unicorn hair! How did _you_ get hold of this?" She took it from him and tied it around his wrist. She'd taken three strands and braided them with a charmed strand of her own hair. The white unicorn hair, almost the same color as his was wrapped around the fire hues of her own hair where gold, bronze and red fought for advantage like an embrace and it gleamed in the candlelight, making his skin seem even paler.

"Charlie gave it to me. The unicorn hair is protective and makes the bearer stronger and has healing powers. I charmed my own hair with an old spell that makes the one carrying it a protective shield. It's not much in a full frontal attack but it might buy you some time." He looked at the thin strap and smiled.

"You should wear this too", he said with a frown.

"I am." She lifted her hair and showed where she had braided the hair into her own just behind her ear.

"Thank you", he said and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

"Well, I do plan for you to come back and spend many Christmases with me." He laughed and she rejoiced in the sound as they lowered themselves onto the blanket.


	20. Chapter 20

March 2000

Ginny took a slow breath…and let it out. She would try again. She might have messed up the test. Slowly and deliberately she pronounced the spell as her wand moved in the intricate shape she had learned. Ginny was sitting in the bathroom she called her own that her brothers too often "borrowed" and contaminated with wet towels and dirty socks. Perched on the toilet seat she finished the spell and the telltale golden light flashed again. It couldn't be happening. They had always been so careful! She rose to brush out the taste of her last throwing up from her mouth. She was so stupid. She'd thought it was the flu. She thought the stress of the war had caused her periods to cease coming. The clues had been so classical, so obvious, and she had missed them all. Too wrapped up in missing Draco, fighting, always imagining that it was the last time and that soon they would see each other again.

There was no need to panic, she reminded herself. These things could be taken care of. She was skilled enough to perform the procedure herself. If she had to she'd ask Hermione. It didn't have to be a big deal. She was pregnant, all right, but she didn't have to be. She didn't have to have Draco's baby. Ginny looked up in the mirror, met the eyes of her reflection, saw them widen as the realization dawned on her. She wanted he child. She wanted Draco's baby above anything else in the world. She could have a reminder of him. If he wouldn't come back, she would always have something of his that told of what they had shared. Her hand moved to her still flat stomach of its own accord and she felt the first tingle of happiness. A little baby was in there. Her baby. Suddenly it didn't matter that she was eighteen, that the war was raging and that its father was nowhere around, she would protect it. She would have it and protect it and love it for the rest of her life.

*******

April 2000

"Mum, can I talk to you for a second?" For once Molly was not bustling around the kitchen, as she usually did whenever they were at the Burrow. They had been there for over a month and almost as long had passed since Ginny found out. She had spent most days silent, curling up on the cot in the playhouse and imagining she could feel her child grow. Weaving daydreams around it as fine golden spider webs of expectation. She hadn't felt so at peace since before the war. Of all horrors that had come from it she had also gotten this.

"Sure, dear, what is it?" Inside Molly was rejoicing that her daughter was finally going to tell her what was bothering her. For months, no, a year, she had been behaving strangely, deliriously happy one day and then depressed, almost unreachable for long periods of time.

"Mum, I…I'm not really sure how to put this…" Ginny wringed her hands. However happy she was she knew that her mother was not going to be.

"I'll put on a spot of tea for us and you can start with the beginning." On the inside Ginny wanted to laugh hysterically. The beginning? Mother, I fell in love with someone you think is a Death Eater. That would go very well. She had decided not to tell who her baby's father was, not until Draco came back. She had to protect his cover, if too many knew it would be dangerous for him.

"No thanks, mum. You see, I…There really is no easy way of saying this. Mum, I'm pregnant." Her mother stopped filling the teapot and slowly turned.

"Don't be silly, Ginny. You almost gave me an heart attack."

"Mum, it's true. I'm having a baby."

"You're not married." Ginny bit back a cheeky comeback.

"No."

"You're not seeing anyone."

"Not anyone you know about."

"You can't be serious!"

"Mum, I want this baby."

"Not outside marriage. No. Just you wait young lady until your father comes home. We will not accept this."

"Mum, I'm going to say this once more. I am going to have this baby, whether you like it or not."

****

Well, that hadn't gone exactly as planned but she was sure that her mother would surrender to her love of grandchildren and oversee the fact that it would be born outside of marriage. She sat down on her bed.

"We'll make it, you and I. We just have to believe your father is coming back to us. That'll keep us going."

****

She opened her eyes and looked up and saw the royal blue canopy over their bed and sighed. She woke up happy, as she did most days now and turned her currently bloated form over to watch her husband sleeping. She'd ignore her bladder that felt as if a Muggle truck had parked on top of it to just look at him. His hair was dishevelled from sleep and fell across his forehead, still as light blonde as in his Hogwarts days. His lashes that she secretly was jealous of swept over his high cheekbones an dhis breathing was even. She sighed over the fact that she was too pregnant to wake him with something really indecent and settled for pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." He smiled before he opened his eyes.

"Good morning, my prince."

She laughed but stopped as it put more stress on her strained bladder.

"Have I told you I love you today?" She said and got the pleasure kick she always did from his reaction.

"No, but feel free."

"I love you Draco Malfoy."

"I love you, Ginevra Malfoy."

Suddenly he drew back.

"Weasley? What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? We live here.", she laughed.

"Very funny, Weaslette. Get out of my bed, get out of my house. I have no idea how drunk I must've been to go to bed with you last night but this is never happening again. Go!"

She didn't recognize his tone. He hadn't used it against her in years. This was spoiled Draco Malfoy from Hogwarts, not her husband and father of her children.

"Draco, stop it. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing except the sight of you in my house makes me sick. Get out! I hate you and I hate your whole family and I want you gone."

With the sound of an explosion the bed was suddenly on fire and she was stuck on it. Through the flames she could see Draco laughing with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. She kept calling but he wouldn't hear…

Panting Ginny woke up. It was the worst dream she had ever had. It combined old fears with new and her hormonal disposition made the tears break through. She missed him so badly and she couldn't contact hi in any way without risking his life. Her parents were barely on speaking terms with her, her friends were off fighting which she couldn't in her current pregnant state.

"We'll make it, little one, don't worry. He's always going to be with us."


	21. Chapter 21

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 21

A/N: I can't believe my little story is turning 21, it semmed such a short while ago it was just a baby idea in my head. Haha, anyways BIG and IMPORTANT chapter ahead!

June 2000

A row was raging in the Burrow kitchen. Again. A week didn't pass, not even a day, without tempers rising in a family of nine, all with the urge to shout at one another at least once a day. But this time it was more heated, more vicious than usual. Even the twins had gotten tired of commentating the shouting match and had returned to their apartment to their wives and less inspired anger than that of Molly Weasley and her daughter.

"…and on top of all this you couldn't even find a man _decent_ enough to stand by you after he plants his baby in you! I'm tempted to say you deserve nothing better than such _scum_ for being so imbecilic, so, so _thoughtless_!" Ginny knew she had a bad temper but she had never felt such rage as her mother spoke ill of the man she loved more than life itself. With a voice so cold it would have made him shiver she replied,

"Mother, there is no man in this entire world I would rather have this baby with. He is not here because of reasons that are none of your business but I trust him enough to let him near me mother and you should love him instead of hate him, not because of anything else but the fact that I do. It should be enough. I want this baby, mum, because it's _his_. And mine, ours." With that she left the kitchen and her dumbstruck mother and once again, for the umpteenth time, retreated to her room.

****

Later that night, Ginny tiptoed down the stairs, skilfully avoiding the creaking steps. The baby was kicking and keeping her awake and instead of restlessly lying in her bed she had opted for a walk in the quiet gardens. Perhaps she'd sneak out and lie down on the cot in the playhouse. As she reached the kitchen she saw the light seeping in from the living room and thought one of her brothers had neglected to turn off the light again. She crept forward to put it out and yelped when she saw the figure in the chair she'd so often sat in to watch over Draco through the night.

"Mum! You scared me half to death!" Her mother was sitting, head bent over her knitting, revealing the first greying hairs in the violently red so alike her own.

"Ginny, what are you doing up?"

"I…" She remembered she wasn't at terms with her mother at the moment and closed her mouth again.

"What do you think?" Her mother held up what looked like a small tube of green yarn.

"What is it?"

"The beginning of a new Weasley sweater." Instantly Ginny felt her eyes tear up.

"Oh, mum." She came in and sat as she had done when she was a little girl, with her head on her mother's lap. Although, she sat somewhat heavier than she had, with the extra weight. "I'm so sorry. Not about the baby but all the things I've said to you."

"I'm sorry too, Ginny. I guess I just focused on the bad side of it to not have to think about the war and my baby daughter being all grown up and mature, your brothers moving out, the constant worry. It's just so much. If you really love this man and the child he has given you, then I will too." Ginny sighed as her mother's needles started clicking again.

"I do. I really do."

*****

31st July 2000

In the kitchen it was dark. She sat with her back to the sink, staring out the window where there was nothing but more darkness. Silence prevailed but in her head she was imagining thousands of voices screaming, saw friends and family bleeding on the ground. The final battle was raging and she could do nothing. In the last month of her pregnancy she would be of no help in the battle and she couldn't risk the life of her unborn child. So there she was, hiding. She had been able to help for such a short while, and had to admit in shame to herself she was glad. Glad that she instead had had the time to learn to know Draco Malfoy. She spun in her chair when her mother wobbled into the room.

"It's over. He did it. Harry did it."

******

August 26th 2000

She was so sick of being pregnant. She looked like a whale, moved like a duck and had a temper like bull. She wanted to feel human again. Her mother had been incredible for the last month, supporting her, comforting her and shooed off her brothers to stop them from pestering Ginny until she confessed who the father was. All of them, thank God. They had all survived and she was eternally grateful to Draco who in so many ways had helped her keep her family safe. Lying to Voldemort took more than guts, it took bravery and nobility. She knew he'd hate that she idolized him but couldn't help it. The man had a heart of gold hidden under that cold demeanour. That was incredibly sexy.

The closer she got to the day of the birth, the bigger she became, the tenser her brothers became. They wanted to beat up whomever had gotten their baby sister pregnant and then left her. However the non-existent man was nowhere around and they settled for pacing, watching over Ginny like a hawk. All but Harry who was rather uncomfortable in her presence. He was different after the defeat, calmer, cooler, more distant. He looked as if nothing could reach him. He'd been unconscious for a week after the battle and had woken up only to leave his two best friends for solitude. The only one who seemed to reach him was Luna Lovegood, to everybody's mixed relief. Of all people the strange and caring Luna was the one who could get him to enter the real world for a moment.

She stretched to ease the pain that had been plaguing her the whole day, gnawing and pounding at the small of her back. She rose out of her chair and felt a slashing pain in her abdomen. It couldn't be, not yet! She wasn't ready for this, she was only nineteen two weeks ago. As the scared little child she felt like at the moment she called for her mother.

"Mum! Mum! MUM!" She heard scrambling steps and Harry entered, wildeyed, with his wand at the ready.

"What's wrong?"

She looked at him, the boy she had loved for so long, the face she knew as well as her own and swallowed the tears. Harry was brave. Draco was brave. Now she would be brave.

"The baby's coming." Panic flashed in his eyes as he leaped forward.

"You should maybe sit or is it walk or…"

"Harry, where is mum?" He swallowed heavily.

"She went grocery shopping." Ginny fought the panic. She would be strong, the baby needed her. Her baby needed her. It was like a key turned in her head and she was suddenly calm and everything was clear.

"Harry, you'll have to help me until she gets home, okay. I need to get upstairs and…" Her voice crumbled as a wave of pain crashed over her. Before she could say anything more Harry had scooped her up and started for the stairs. She wondered briefly how a man who probably weighed about the same as her could so easily carry her up the stairs when more pain hazed her brain and she was rendered half unconscious. For a moment she thought it was Draco carrying her, that she could smell him, feel his chest pressed to her. She smiled.

"Draco", he looked down on her and smiled, that special smile he reserved just for their private moments. She felt warm and safe and happy and…

"Ginny! Ginny! Ginny, you have to _wake up_!" A voice seemed to call from far away. Suddenly a pain like heated knives cut through her abdomen she was torn from her pleasant dreaming as he body rose off the bed.

Suddenly she hear someone screaming and realized it came from herself, then her mother's voice mixed with her own and…

A/N: I'm not only doing this to be mean, I' running out of time, I'm going away for a couple of days but I wanted to update so there you go.


	22. Chapter 22

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 22

A/N: I felt mean so this is a quick chapter, yet important. I was overjoyed with the response for the last chapter and have to say I'm surprised so few of you have checked out the other parts of this series, "The Weasley Love Stories" as you are so worried of who's going to die. I couldn't have put up with the excitement if I was reading this, haha. Anyways, the much anticipated chapter 22!

…and the world turned white. She wasn't unconscious but she prayed she could be when the pain felt white, hot and sharp.

"Ginny, love, calm down, try to breathe. In…and out. Harry, sit behind her with one leg on each side to support her back. Help her breathe through the constrictions. I have to fetch the kit. I'm always telling you how important it is to be organized and prepared. You must never-"

"Mum!"

"Yes, yes, I'm going." She felt Harry lift her, carefully as if she was made of glass and climb behind her. She also felt he kept her at a certain distance from his body. Concentrating, she gathered strength to speak.

"Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." He let out half a laugh.

"I guess you don't really plan these things. And you looked as surprised as I felt when I came into the kitchen so I really don't think you waited until I was the only one in the house. God, you scared me, Ginny." She felt him relax and rested comfortably against his chest. Or it would have been comfortable if not the next constriction had crashed over her at that moment. When it was over she had to push out the words,

"Harry, do you…" She had to catch her breath before continuing, "…do you think we were a good couple? I mean are you mad because I broke up with you?" He was silent for a while.

"I think we were a good couple. I don't think it would have lasted though. We were sort of childhood sweethearts and the war made us grow up too fast. We were different people. I know I'm not the easiest person to be around, especially not…well, ever really. So I guess I was mad before I realized that you weren't the same Ginny as fell in love with, which brought me to understand that I was hardly the same person you had fallen in love with."

"Wow, you really are grown up", she panted and he laughed. It was long since she'd heard it and it felt good.

"Did you break up because of…the baby's father?" She could only nod as the pain overwhelmed her again and she felt Harry take her hand in his. "Squeeze as hard as it's hurting you, I think this is supposed to go." She smiled as tears of pain ran down her face and wet her shirt.

"Here we go, I have everything we need. You have some hard work ahead of you, darling." Molly bustled back in with a small bag that she began to unpack and unshrink effectively. Harry yelped as Ginny almost broke the bones in his hand. She tried to forget to be embarrassed as her mother started fussing with her and with the bed. An eternity seemed to pass as she slid in and out of pain. She started feeling completely washed out and weak when the worst pain yet hit her and what she had promised herself wouldn't happen did. She called out his name.

"It's a boy!" Her mother's jubilant voice called and slowly Ginny came around. Harry moved to allow her to see the miracle that had just taken place and she felt the tears come. It was the most intensive experience she had ever had, the first time she looked at her son. He was so tiny, so dependent, so beautiful. Her mother placed him in her arms and let her own tears run freely.

"The most gratifying and terrifying experience you'll ever have, Ginbug."

*****

David. She had decided his name to be David. It started with his father's letter, it meant beloved and it was the name of great kings. Draco would like that. Eltanin, she remembered from her Hogwarts Astronomy classes was a star in the Draco constellation and was Arabic for "dragon". She doubted anyone would see the connection unless they knew the father and had decided it should be her private reminder. David Eltanin Arthur Malfoy. She didn't utter his last name of course and had waited to report his birth to the Ministry in case his father should return and publically be freed of all charges. Then his son would carry his name and it would be a name to be proud over.

She hummed softly as she nursed her newborn son, sitting in the rocking chair her mother had nursed all her children in. It barely fit in Ginny's tiny room but she loved sitting in it, just holding David until her arms grew numb. He had Draco's blonde hair and she marvelled at the few hairs. He had Draco's nose and mouth but the shape of the eyes and the face were her own. It astounded her how he could be such a perfect mix of the two of them.

"You'll grow up to be as handsome as your father. Every girl at Hogwarts will have a not so secret crush on you. You'll probably be on the Quidditch team too, with these marvellous genes you have, if I may say so. And then, my son there will be no stopping your popularity. You probably have the brains too, like Hermione. Your father is clever you know, and I cannot be called stupid. I can beat him in chess you know, sometimes. And sometimes I let him win just to make him happy. He's so proud, you see. When you grow older he'll tell you his story and you'll see why. But he really loves us. I do know that. Wherever he is or will be when you grow up he loves you."

There was a knock on the door and her mother entered with Harry behind her.

"Ginny, dear, we've waited to bring this up, the birth was only two days ago but we think it is time you told us. When you were in labour you called for "Draco" and Harry thinks he heard you mumble it when you were unconscious. We only know of one Draco and we hope he has nothing to do with this. Ginny?" She looked out the window as her thoughts jumbled.

"You have to promise no to tell anyone, then I can tell you who the father is." They nodded their assent and Ginny started telling the story. Half and hour passed before she could finish. "…David's father is not Draco Malfoy the Death Eater but Draco Malfoy, aspirant of the Merlin Order first grade, the man who saved us numerous times during the war, who with his life on the line was my "source". The man I love."

A/N: So, four people know and three's a crowd…Oooohh, the suspense! P.S. Please excuse my limited knowledge of childbirth, I feel no inclination to read on the subject.


	23. Chapter 23

Bravery is in the Eye of the Beholder

By

Sannikex

Chapter 23

The END

A/N: So this is THE chapter of this story, not only because it's the final one but because it happens a lot. Someone asked me to list the other stories of this series and they are:

Broom(b)ride – Ron/Hermione

Rainbow – Harry/Luna

Toujours – Bill/Fleur

So, this has been a great pleasure to write for me and I'm sad it's over.I'll miss Draco and Ginny, my favourite pairing. But you never know, when they'll appear again, in some other story. Right now I've started a Percy/Pansy installation of this series, and it'll appear soon. Now get on with your reading!

Ginny stepped into the kitchen right after her brother had slammed the door shut to find Ron breathing heavily with the dark look of deep fury in his eyes.

"How do you know Malfoy?" She felt all the blood in her head sink to leave her brain numb, void of all thought.

"Was he here?" Slowly she looked over at the door before hastily put David in Hermione's arms and ran out the door. She saw him immediately; he'd slumped on the front lawn. Without a thought of the pain she threw herself down on her knees beside him. His robes were a brownish grey and he was sickening thin but it was him. Carefully she supported his neck. His eyelids fluttered and opened.

"Hi," she said as the tears ran down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"Hi, Weasley," he croaked and slowly she helped him sit, leaning against the large tree she'd climbed everyday as a little girl.

"Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?" He smiled gently.

"About half as much as I've missed you, probably. Which is why, before we do anything else-," he had to pause to catch his breath, "-I need to ask you…if you'll marry me." He took a deep breath and continued, "I know we're young but I love you, Ginevra Weasley and…I don't ever want to lose you. I couldn't stand it, you see." She stopped herself before the loud 'yes' came out. He had to know that he'd get a two for one deal. She hadn't considered what he would think. All she'd known was that she needed his baby as a reminder if he didn't return but not what would happen if he did.

"I…There's something you must know first…and I don't know how you'll feel about it." She saw pain flash in his eyes and felt rotten. She had to tread this carefully but she didn't want to lay it out so he thought it was bad news. "When you were gone I…I discovered I was pregnant. And I didn't know if you were coming back so I…" His eyes were unreadable as he looked past her. "So I kept the baby. We have a son." His head snapped up.

"A son? I have a son?" She hated that he could hide his feelings so well.

"Yes…David."

"David…" He looked like he tasted the name on his tongue.

"David Eltanin Malfoy. I gave him your name because I, well I and you weren't here and I-" He silenced her by pressing his lips to hers in a quick, desperate kiss that left both of them hungry for more.

"Because he's my son and you are my wife even if I weren't here. I didn't think I could love you anymore than I did those months I missed you. I guess I was wrong." Ginny rested her head on his shoulder and wept, it was all she could do. Suddenly a shadow fell over them and they saw a hesitant Hermione with her nephew in her arms. She looked inquiringly at Ginny, who nodded and the older witch bent to gently put David in his father's arms. Then she backed away to make the still dumbstruck Ron go inside. Ginny leaned against Draco and felt his sobs shake his scrawny torso and she curled up at his side as joy as she had never felt it sprinkled over the small family as the sunlight through the leaves.

A/N 2: I hope you have enjoyed my story,

BIG HUGS TO ALL

Sannikex


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